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BB Wolf · 08-13-2003, 12:43 AM

I think the problem lies less with TKD than with the McDojos (though, since they are Korean, shouldn't they be McDojangs?).
I started off in TKD when I was 8 and studied for a number of years. My first instructor was an ex-ROK Tiger Division soldier (South Korean SF, who, from what I have read, place a higher degree of emphasis of on MA/H2H than many SF forces). He ran a good school, though it was mired in tradition and the need to get bodies in the door, as well as the limits of the martial art itself. However, he was the best TKD guy I ever saw, and one of the few people I've known that could probably pull of some of the fancy TKD stuff on the streets and get away with it. I went to other schools and saw the increasing sport emphasis of it, as well as things like 12 year old Black Belts, who, frankly weren't that good. I eventually turned to Judo to fill in the gaps I felt that were missing in my MA curriculum, and went on from ther until I found MA's that were right for me. The fact of the matter is, there are problably more TKD dojos out there than any other style, and many of them are McDojos. While I am not a huge fan of TKD, I am less a fan of the McDojo. They are the Starbucks/Walmart of the MA world.

08-13-2003, 12:43 AM	#15 (permalink)
BB Wolf Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 83 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	I think the problem lies less with TKD than with the McDojos (though, since they are Korean, shouldn't they be McDojangs?). I started off in TKD when I was 8 and studied for a number of years. My first instructor was an ex-ROK Tiger Division soldier (South Korean SF, who, from what I have read, place a higher degree of emphasis of on MA/H2H than many SF forces). He ran a good school, though it was mired in tradition and the need to get bodies in the door, as well as the limits of the martial art itself. However, he was the best TKD guy I ever saw, and one of the few people I've known that could probably pull of some of the fancy TKD stuff on the streets and get away with it. I went to other schools and saw the increasing sport emphasis of it, as well as things like 12 year old Black Belts, who, frankly weren't that good. I eventually turned to Judo to fill in the gaps I felt that were missing in my MA curriculum, and went on from ther until I found MA's that were right for me. The fact of the matter is, there are problably more TKD dojos out there than any other style, and many of them are McDojos. While I am not a huge fan of TKD, I am less a fan of the McDojo. They are the Starbucks/Walmart of the MA world. Last edited by BB Wolf; 08-13-2003 at 12:46 AM.