Hi. Should I keep doing TKD?

[Mudo]

Hi. Should I keep doing TKD? I have a BB now but after seeing so many people bash it, I am beginning to question my art. Is it worth it to continue, or does it "suck" as so many people have told me?

I'm getting pretty insecure. I think I need some advice. Thanks.

[eXcessiveForce]

You keep signup accounts and we will keep closing them.

[Mudo]

What are you talking about? Leave me alone, please for the love of god... jeez

[Berserk001]

you shouldn't

[Mudo]

Please... i'm just someone who wants some honest advice. I promise to stop cursing. I guess the questions I ask are sometimes controversial but all I want is advice.

So if an apology is what you want.. I'm sorry

[gabbah]

I think you should try out different things and see what you like. People train for different reasons. If you want to be able to use it "for real", then you should train something that is closer to the real thing i guess, that includes all ranges of fighting. But I think that whatever you train it will definitely help you in a fight against one opponent, even TKD. But there might be arts and above all methods to train that are better suited, and that will help you even more.
Others train because they like that particular sport or club. The most important thing is to have fun while you're doing it.
So try out MT, kickboxing, shooto, bjj, wrestling, and so on...

[Mudo]

I know Muay Thai is better but that doesn't make TKD bad does it? I understand Shooto and MT are better and more "real" but TKD is also a combat system that would help me learn how to fight, no?

MT and Shooto are probably top tier martial arts. They are the top of the game. But that does not cancel out the effectiveness of the hundreds of other MA's below their level, right?

[gabbah]

I know Muay Thai is better but that doesn't make TKD bad does it? I understand Shooto and MT are better and more "real" but TKD is also a combat system that would help me learn how to fight, no?

I think even playing tag a whole lot will help you in a fight. But some things will help you more. For instance, learning MT, BJJ and wrestling, or just doing shooto for a few years, and then going out picking fights for a few years will make you a pretty darn good fighter. But also a guy with fucked up lifestyle and values, not to mention inuries he would get, perhaps permanent ones.
That is why many try to keep as real as possible but still safe.
So yeah personally I think TKD will help you in a fight, but there's also a whole lot you would be missing, stuff you COULD learn if you do MT, bjj and wrestling or other styles.
This is why people recommend that you get the whole package so to speak, and they say MT + bjj + wrestling is good combo, or MT+ boxing + bjj or other combos. I would say shooto covers a lot too.
If you're looking to become a more complete fighter, I personally wouldn't want to start with TKD, because of the sideways stance it teaches you to fight in. It might also give you a false sense of security, if you think that guys will fight the way they fight in your training. I think most guys will punch and wrestle you, not stay at your kicking range. So knowing boxing, clinch work and ground work is pretty important for a fight. TKDs sidestance will not allow you to sprawl very good either, making it easier to get a takedown on you. So, if you're looking to move on later on, you will have to relearn a lot of stuff. So in that sense I would consider it "BAD".
If you stick with TKD you will probably have an advantage against someone that hos no MA experience. But if that guy gets really angry and rushes you, taking the fight to the ground, you will not have that advantage anymore. If you have studied bjj or shooto also, you will still have an advantage there too.
Well I've rambled enough, gotta go.

[Mudo]

Thanks for your input, gabbah. But I'd just like to correct one thing you said. You said "play tag". Well WTF sparring is continuous and aggressive. It doesn't look that way because of all of that gear but those DO hit hard.

You say I would have an advantage over someone who knows no MA. But wouldn't it also give me an adv over people of other arts or at least put me on level ground with them, assuming that person isn't an MT or Shooto champion. Right?

[gabbah]

When I said play tag I meant literally play the game of tag... I mean that many things you can do that involves interaction with other peoples movement will HELP you in to SOME EXTENT (may be it very little in some cases).
Playing tags a lot will teach you to be fast and it develop a feeling for distance to you opponent.
But doing things closer to real fighting will obviously help you more in a real fight.

I will answer your last question later, I have to go right now.

[Mudo]

I think MT and Shooto and Kyuk Tu Ki are the top tier striking arts. Right below that, in my opinion, are the other Korean arts like TKD and stuff like Okinawan Karate.

[gabbah]

Back from training, so here's my answer to your last question.

If you fight people from arts that have groundtraining, you will probably loose. You will probable not be able to keep them from getting close to you and eventually taking you down, and then your screwed.
Ask yourself this, are you sure you can STOP a guy with only ONE technique? That is all you will have time to do if he tries to get close to you. So you would need to hit his jaw or nose to knock him out. If he has a little stand up training that has thaught him the concept of protecting jaw and head with his forearms (like boxing, MT, kickboxing, shooto, krav maga (i think) and many many other arts), you will be very lucky to land something to the head that hurts him.
So basically, it will be very hard for you to kick him hard enough anywhere to actually STOP him from continue fighting. So it will go to the ground.

I think that you put TKD a lot higher than I do... and many other folks as well. The thing is you need to be able to fight in close as well, not just at kicking range. And generally TKD is not as many other arts that focus more on hand skills.
I think you can try it in sparring with a friend. Tell him that he is allowed to rush you at any time during the sparring. If he can grab you, you have lost. I think you will find that he will be able to do it right after you have made a kick. Powerful kicks can only be delivered so fast.

[Clooneytkd]

listen i just started tkd no to long ago and i am enjoying it. of course trying to get the split down is hard but other than that its great. do tkd for kicking, if you dont want to work on kicking do boxing, its as simple as that, me personally have always wanted to do a van damme kick, or just beable to side kick at a large height. i like the idea of using my legs as a weapon. so if you dont wanna use your legs dont do it. stop being a girl and asking other people do it for you, do it for yourslef. i have learned a good amount of things from tkd so if you would like me to kick you in the face or give you a solid punch i would be welcomed to. its the person, not the martial art, so stop being a moron.

[seanyseanybean]

why do you need everyones approval, just make up your own mind!

[gabbah]

The point I'm trying to make here is that Muay Thai better than TKD. But TKD is still a good fighting style despite that. You agree, right?

Within the rules of TKD competition, TKD is probably the best. But if you're thinking about fighting in the street against some bully, then no I don't consider TKD "good". I have told you why; sideways stance, not enough focus on boxing.
But it's better than nothing.
But that is just my opinion, if you like it a lot and like your club, then you should train it. You have to like your training. It won't hurt you to try other things though.
And if you asking if I think it's good in the sense that it is a part of becoming a complete fighter, then no I don't think it's very good; sideways stance makes it very hard to sprawl, and many TKD practitioners "bounce" on their feet. I don't think that kind of footwork is good to learn on the way to becoming a "complete fighter".
So overall I personally don't think TKD is "good".

Another very important aspect is what training method an art tends to use.