Guest Posted July 11, 2003 Posted July 11, 2003 I think it depends on how the instructor teaches TWD. In our dojo, we first teach how to use it for defense then when the student understands, we adapt it so they could spar in tournaments. We also teach the Shotokan style, and from your first post, it sounds like it would fit you better. Just talk to your instructor and express your concerns so he can understand your situation as well.
ninjanurse Posted July 11, 2003 Posted July 11, 2003 I agree in different styles for different folks but I also believe that it is not the style that makes you a good fighter, it is you. Take all the tools given to you, decide which ones work best, experiment with variations, and build your own personal arsenal of techniques. Then use them during sparring class (within the "rules" of course)-just because the other guy just stands there and kicks doesn't mean you have to !! There is a nice article posted by TJS on Comparative Styles that may give you some encouragement until you talk things over with your instructor. A lot of times instructors are not aware of how their students feel-I don't think they are all unapproachable! If he/she is not, or doesn't offer you a solution you can live with then maybe you should dabble in something else or change schools. Good luck! "A Black Belt is only the beginning."Heidi-A student of the artsTae Kwon Do,Shotokan,Ju Jitsu,Modern Arnishttp://the100info.tumblr.com/
the-wayis-noway Posted July 12, 2003 Author Posted July 12, 2003 Thanks for all the great responses and ideas it has really gotten me to think about where I am and the path I want to take in Martial Arts. I think very highly of my TKD Master, instructors and people I learn from and train with. They run a top notch well disciplined academy. The master is of Chinese descent from malaysia and follows very traditional rules of respect and discipline. He demands that we have faith in the selected style and to not ask too many questions during training. I feel that bring up my concerns would be like a slap in his face and at the very least disrespectful. I just can't bring myself to do it. On the other side I have contacted a local man of Filipino descent who teaches his art in his spare time. He has a great passion for it and considers it a family art past down to him by his relatives. It's Part of his culture, heritage and family tradition. Sounds like the real deal, can't wait to see what its all about. The WWII combative looks intresting but not offered in my area.
Kamidake Posted July 12, 2003 Posted July 12, 2003 You might look into some of the ninjutsu schools, too. My teacher trained at an aikido dojo for 3 years--it was, literally, the only game in town. He said he enjoyed it but didn't think it would be much use for self-defense on the street.
GrrrArg Posted July 13, 2003 Posted July 13, 2003 Try full contact karate, a few people on the forums do this and would be able to help you more.
Kyokushin Posted July 14, 2003 Posted July 14, 2003 Well Kyokushin is a good sparring style if you have a dojo in your area you could try it out. It's a nice fighting style. Might suit you might not. (O.k. that's the end of my little bias ) Of course the best thing to do is try out all the dojos in your area. And then sit down and really think about what is important to you. Weigh the pros and cons of each place including the dojo you're currently at. Obviously you are not completely dissatisfied with where you are at from what you've said. So maybe you will find out what you've got isn't so bad by visiting other places, or maybe you'll find something better. It can't hurt to try it out. Of course you should always remember, "Nothings perfect!" That said you get out of karate what you put in. So if you do stay where you're at just give your sparring 100% and take it seriously, and that's all you can ask of yourself. Sempai Emily2nd Kyu-Brown Belt---The true essence of the Martial Way can only be realized through experience. Knowing this, learn never to fear its demands. --- Mas. Oyama ---
CrazyAZNRocker Posted July 16, 2003 Posted July 16, 2003 I know TKD guys who can really throw down and are awsome fighters...but they did not train under traditional TKD rules.. I wanna make a comment on this, and I would think that TKD today is not the traditional, rather a very bad modernization of TKD. I'm pretty sure that TKD was originally ((and still is in theory)) a street fighting style, of course that was way back yesteryear. I doubt that the ancient TKD practioners "never hit below the belt" or "avoided hitting the face". However the mechanics can and does make the art a very flashy and very sporty. The new gen of TKD must have added these restrictions, rules, and other ridiculous standards, modifying it to what it is now. The modernization I feel this time hurt the art rather than improve it. Because, like all martial art styles, TKD was orginally made for combat. To exterminate the threat, at the least amount of time possible.
John G Posted July 16, 2003 Posted July 16, 2003 I know TKD guys who can really throw down and are awsome fighters...but they did not train under traditional TKD rules.. I wanna make a comment on this, and I would think that TKD today is not the traditional, rather a very bad modernization of TKD. I'm pretty sure that TKD was originally ((and still is in theory)) a street fighting style, of course that was way back yesteryear. I doubt that the ancient TKD practioners "never hit below the belt" or "avoided hitting the face". However the mechanics can and does make the art a very flashy and very sporty. The new gen of TKD must have added these restrictions, rules, and other ridiculous standards, modifying it to what it is now. The modernization I feel this time hurt the art rather than improve it. Because, like all martial art styles, TKD was orginally made for combat. To exterminate the threat, at the least amount of time possible. The generic term TKD has two extremes at one end of the spectrum are those schools that teach the Korean martial arts and at the other end are those who teach an Olympic sport. If you had have done some research you would have also discovered that TKD wasn’t originally a street fighting style as it borrowed (or should I say stolen) 95% of its techniques from Chinese and predominantly Japanese traditional martial arts. “The ancient TKD practitioners” (remembering that TKD was developed during the 1950s -1960s) were the ones who “added these restrictions, rules, and other ridiculous standards, modifying it to what it is now” for TKD tournament point sparing. What you may have experienced or seen was a school that was training more towards Olympic sporting endeavour rather than martial arts preparation. To me your generalisation that “TKD today is not the traditional, rather a very bad modernization of TKD” is naive at best. … John G Jarrett III Dan, ITF Taekwon-Do
CrazyAZNRocker Posted July 18, 2003 Posted July 18, 2003 Ahh alright. Well i suppose i was horribly mistaken. I must have read a bad article or somthing. Thanks for clearing this up.
CrazyAZNRocker Posted July 18, 2003 Posted July 18, 2003 Also i admit that TKD is one of my weakest points interms of history, facts and the such... sorry for making a post on somthing i didn't understand
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