High Kicks

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Actually, he is a very good instructor, I'm sure he was fed the info from his instructor (Master Sereff). I never thought it to be important enough to look into. I actually started WTF when I was in California because I couldn't find an ITF school within a driveable distance.

[Thai Bri]

Heres another angle - maybe it should be in the Chinese section but hey, I'm not racist (are you getting this Great Sage?)

What do you guys think of the idea that North Chinese arts specialise in kicking, because they live in a mountainous region, therefore having strong legs. And Southern styles work on hand techniques because they bend over working like dogs in paddy fields all the time, developing their upper body?

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Racist!!

[Thai Bri]

Well, in the age we live in, all someone has to do is make the allegation and you're automatically thought guilty.

So I'm sorry!

[GreyBeard]

Originally posted by Damian Mavis
Nobody thinks that haha. Who told you that?

Maybe he read it somewhere, like:

KOREA

It is said that Korean psychology dictates the use of hands for cultural and artistic pursuits. Consequently, striking someone with the hands offended social sensibilities. Kicking was the preferred way of expressing violence. The feet, after all, were not used in higher artistic accomplishments.

The famous jumping and flying kicks of the Korean arts were designed for combat against a soldier mounted on horseback. Contemporary martial artists who question the feasibility of such jumping, particularly those that require a running start, have forgotten the origin of these kicks. They did not originate for close-in, one-on-one fighting. They had a place in open-field tactics against calvary. The foot soldier would be able to get a running start and then jump and blindside the horseman with a kick, hopefully knocking him to the ground.

(cut and pasted from:
http://www.albertataekwondo.com/articles/MA101.htm )

[Damian Mavis]

Oh man what a hoot. That would be a very kool idea for an old age action movie though..... superninja taking on an army of mounted enemies with jump kicks heh.

Fullcircle, so you actually put your time in to get 2nd degree in ITF (USTF) then started the whole process over again for WTF? WTF wouldn't recognise your ITF rank?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[BadgerFu57]

Wouldn't it just be easier to drag them off, or just go make a spear? Heck, why not just use a Kiai to knock the rider off by scaring him....

I mean one of those 62 year old black belt grandma's yelling "KIAI" would scare anyone.

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Yup, no chance of them recognizing the rank, especially then. ITF and WTF were always in a battle over who's better. ITF is more traditional, WTF is more sport, blah, blah. So, I basically started over, wasn't too bad, the forms were different and some techniques were different (could have been the instructor). Needless to say, I flew through the colored ranks in WTF.

[Damian Mavis]

How long ago was this? I think things have relaxed a bit or maybe your instructor was just very strict. Was this recently? Like within the last few years?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[Garth Barnard]

I too was taught that the flying and jumping kicks were to dismount a warrior on horseback. I confirmed this when I spoke to Master He Il Cho a few years back.

Spears were no use as the warriors wore bamboo armour, plus the fact most farm labourers didn't carry a spear whilst working!!

So, once the rider was dismounted, flat fingertip, ridge hand and knife hand striking techniques were then used to incapacitate the warrior. These techniques were used because the only viable targets were the gaps between the armour.

Later on it was realised that the bamboo armour could actually be penetrated by heavy blows, hence the need for breaking techniques to test the students breaking ability.

Regards,

Garth Barnard
B.F.M.A.A.

[Damian Mavis]

Hrmm sounds cool and all but also sounds like propaganda from Korea.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[Thai Bri]

Hee Il Cho.

What a tough guy he was, maybe still is? Is he still active?

[Garth Barnard]

Originally posted by Thai Bri
Hee Il Cho.

What a tough guy he was, maybe still is? Is he still active?

Thank you for correcting my poor spelling.

Master Cho is still going strong as far as I know. And yes you're right, he's very tough. As soon as he walks into a room he has such a great presence for a little guy. Someone I truely aspire to. His breaking techniques are breath-taking as well.

Regards,

Garth Barnard
B.F.M.A.A.

[Thai Bri]

I have one of those books he put out years ago (can't remember the name and its in the loft.....). He was incredibly strong, and looked like he would have little problem making TKD work.

TKD lovers or haters, Cho is a martial arts giant.

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Damian,
This was about 1991, when I came back to the states from the Philippines. I used to see it when I'd visit schools a few years before that even. I imagine that it still exists, maybe more sporadic now, haven't really looked into any TKD schools lately.