Understanding my school and your school

[Truestar]

Our school isn't affiliated with either ITF or WTF, and I don't mind that in a sense the politics of everything stays out of our school, and its core training is there without any garbage threatening to contaminate our love for Martial Arts and TKD.

After doing some research I've been learning how our school is working without asking my instructor. I think if I get a better understanding of it myself it will be better for me in the unlikely event that the school was passed to me, or just having a better understanding in general will help quench my thirst for knowledge.

After seeing "ITF-information.com" I noticed our patterns aren't like that of WTF. The patterns I've learned from Chon-Ji to Choong-Moo are that of the ITF. I also saw somewhere that ITF schools teach the 5 tenets we teach. (Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, Indomitable Spirit). However our school uses the WTF sparring gear but ITF style sparring. Interesting. We also have most of our black belts and students into MMA stuff, so we often go over grappling techniques that I'm not sure are always stressed in traditional TKD schools.

So my question is, are the patterns I've learned (Chon-Ji, Dan-Gun etc) ITF styles?

If you went to a WTF school would you ever interest yourself in ITF patterns and vice versa? The book I bought are WTF patterns, not mine so I kind of wasted my money. I figure though as a TKD practitioner and Shodan I should take it upon myself to expand my knowledge, so if I have time and responsibility I will familiarize myself with WTF patterns.

How about you guys? Is your school affiliated with any large organization? Or is it a mix?

[joesteph]

How about you guys? Is your school affiliated with any large organization? Or is it a mix?

My school is with the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, with the chief instructor (a fourth dan) certified by the USSBDMDK. There are tournaments held open only to Soo Bahk Do schools with certified instructors, and promotions are done after regional examiners grade the test-takers.

[bushido_man96]

My school is not affiliated with the ITF or the WTF, but we practice the ITF form set, but differently than the ITF systems do them. We don't do the sine wave movement, and our forms are done with more power, I think. We do Olympic sparring rules, and wear the WTF gear setup. We don't do any grappling, though, which is a bummer.

Your forms are the ITF forms, too.

[DWx]

I've been ITF since I started training when I was 10. However our club has been in two different ITFs since the split in 2002. The University club I'm looking at joining though is kinda a breakaway style as it is based on the ITF system and does most things like the ITF but with a few changes.

[KarateEd]

My school is also not affiliated with the ITF or WTF, but we do both ITF (no sine wave movement) and WTF (palgwe) forms. We don't do point sparring; we utilize light-mid contact and the matches end at the discretion of the instructor, barring any sort of injury. I wish we worked grappling more, but that is left up to each person to pursue. We do grapple on occasion while sparring (if one of the participants are willing to initiate it) but not with the lower ranking students.

[bushido_man96]

A retired instructor that I know used to be with the UTA (Universal Taekwondo Association), and they practiced the ITF and the WTF Tae Guek forms.

[IcemanSK]

My school is affiliated with the Kukkiwon (WTF) & the US Chung Do Kwan, as well as the World Chung Do Kwan. We do the Tae Guek & BB poomsae, as well as a few older forms. (Bassai Dai & Eunbi).

I've been a part of some schools that were affiliated with the ITF, yet did ITF forms. It usually goes to the instructor's experience, knowledge &/or choices. If it were up to me, I'd add the Pal Gwe poomsae as well. Maybe someday I will.

[aefibird]

My old school that I was with was 100% WTF TKD, but the new one I've joined (old one closed ) is independent and not affiliated to any organisation or group.

They do several types of sparring, including grappling for higher grades.

The grades/belts system used is identical to that used in many WTF schools, but there's hardly any emphasis placed upon grades and grading anyway (especially for teens/juniors, a bit more is made of it for the little ones).

Patterns are just WTF (Taeguek) for kup grades. From 2nd kup onwards students learn a mix of ITF and WTF style patterns and are encouraged to do independent study to promote knowledge of all aspects of TKD and martial arts.

The 5 tenets of TKD (Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, Indomitable Spirit) are taught and classes use a mix of Korean terminology and English equivalents.