TKD Master who found that tkd does not teach fighting

[jubaji]

that's bull. I opened my TKD school as a first degree. I have been a blackbelt for over 14 years and am only a second degree and probably will never test again because I see no need to test again. Hell i've been teaching for over 10 years.

Every system is different.

Hell, I opened a TKD school and I've never practiced it at all! I lay out some bulgogi and beer and we talk about kicking people off horses for two hours, then I go home. Got a vending machine with different colored belts, and I sell patches for $50.00 a pop.

[MMARuss]

Sorry if you didn't catch it. That was me posting for a friend who was unable to post. I myself don't train in TKD.

[Spookey]

Instructors

Dear Sir,

The rule (both written and implied) regarding Chief Instructors holding a 4th Dan or higher is generally applicable to the ITF and it's affiliates (Chang Hon)...these "requirements" are generally not applied to all Taekwon-Do, and please remember "Tae Kwon Do" is a very broad based term.
For this very reason I feel it best (since there is no standard for "Tae Kwon Do") to state your kwan affiliation...Oh Do Kwan, Chung Do Kwan, Ji Do Kwan, ect. !


TAEKWON!
Spookey
(Oh Do Kwan)

[IPON]

One day he came in looking a little disheveled and asked the class who was there to become a "fighter." The whole group sort of looked sheepishly at each other and a couple of people raised their hands. He then said well, this is not what we're doing here. You will not become a "fighter" by taking these classes.

Well I would say this is a definate reflection of teh instructor not the style per se. It seemed that this guy probably believed his own hype, did not train hard and yes got his ass handed to him. He is a wuss because he has no heart. He got beat so what!! No MAist is invincable we train to beat the odds, but ultamitely anybody can loose to anybody.

The problem is that the dude was humiliated more than injured, I think EGO is the problem. So instead of acting like a real MAist and a good instructor and learning from the situation to teach his students (change training routinine maybe add boxing etc) he starts crying about how he lost.

I really think people blame MAs too many time for there own shortcommings.

[Damian Mavis]

Excessiveforce, by not testing you can't allow your students to ever test past 1st degree.... guess you don't hold onto your students that long?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[MADDOG]

Hello Spookey,

I like your idea on stating your kwon.

TAEKWON
Ed Barton
(ATKD MDK)

[MADDOG]

Hell, I opened a TKD school and I've never practiced it at all! I lay out some bulgogi and beer and we talk about kicking people off horses for two hours, then I go home. Got a vending machine with different colored belts, and I sell patches for $50.00 a pop.

Once again, this example can be applied not only to TKD, but also to many other MA;

Karate
Kenpo
Kempo
Kung Fu

Any art can and has fallen into this category of the McDojo.

To attack one art – in generalities – is not to recognize the attributes of the individual instructor’s. I would much rather see the naming of an instructor who has become McDojo, so the focus can be on them vs. an art.

Ed Barton
ATKD MDK

[eXcessiveForce]

Actually Since no one has made it to black belt in less than 4 years and I waited 6 years before I went to second degree by the time they get up to second degree they don't feel the need to chase rank.
The belt doesn't mean anything it's what you know. I have also told them that if any of them would like to test beyond my current rank to let me know and I can test so they can do it. No one has asked.
Rank is just artificial short term goals. Once you get to blackbelt your goals should be your own. Since combat effectiveness is so important to me many of the students adopt this. this leads to long hours in the gym and always trying to improve yourself. Since the belt doesn't get any blacker they are happy with their belts.

Someday I'll probably have to test again. But it's not my intention nor my desire.

[rkcann01]

That's sad Force. For you, and your students.

[eXcessiveForce]

why is that sad?

someday we will probably move away from rank all together. The goal is to be better and know it within ourselves. Not get new belts.

I don't wear my skills on my waist. Also don't think that I am saying I don't learn new things to teach them. I am studying JKD, and BJJ. In fact right now I am spending much of my time learning BJJ so that when my students are ready there is more to teach them.


I have also had students successfully use the material I've taught them to survive. One is an intelligence officer in Iraq. Once attacked by guy with a knife. Several in brawls. Many kids defended themselves against larger people including adults. As long as my students get better I am doing my job.
As long as I continue my training I am completing my goals.

I took a year off recently just to train. the sad thing was I couldn't find anyone who knew the material as well as I did, And even in other systems I found people who though you should punch without using your hips, no need to keep your hands up because your kicks keep them away, Forms are better than sparring and many who told me they were high ranks in other systems they couldn't spell correctly.

When my students go to tournaments they win. Heck the first time I took students to a tournament I took 5 and they came home with 10 first place trophies. Second one I took 12 people and they came back with 21 mostly first place. The funny thing is I don't teach for tournaments. We don't play by the rules in class. And they all came back and complained on how poor the competition was.
Better to be a respected 2nd degree than a master who can't make the things they teach work.

[Szczepankiewicz]

a respected 2nd degree

Ha! It will be a cold day in hell before I ever respect anyone from Missourah!



Spanky

[eXcessiveForce]

Okay spanky, I'll let you worship me. Just make sure that Bri isn't behind you when you are bowing.

[Damian Mavis]

What a load of hooey! haha, get your damn 3rd degree! It's important for an instructor to humble themselves and put themselves under the scrutiny of others every once in a while to remind them they aren't as good as they think or perfect. Hell I did my 4th degree last year and I barely passed..... it was very humbling, normally at all my previous rank tests I was the star of the test.... but my 4th was under Master Choi the head of my federation and he wasn't impressed.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

[eXcessiveForce]

I put on my white belt several days a week for BJJ.

And when testing went above $300 bucks it just doesn't make me want to run out and test. I pay a lot of money to do the system I do. No sense in giving them any more.

20+ years of TKD is enough time to get rank. I've been a TKD white belt 4 times. Different systems and the same one started over twice even though I was almost a blackbelt when I left the first time. Now it's time to learn new thing. JKD and BJJ. Maybe when I have my BB in BJJ and am to my goal in JKD i'll think about testing.

[Damian Mavis]

Excuses! haha. I too have followed a very similar path to you. I also was putting on a white belt every week and learning BJJ. I also trained JKD when I had time for that class and seriously trained Muay Thai for the last 3 years, but I kept up my progression in TKD.

I don't think training another art is the same as needing to be good enough at your main art to pass a test when it comes to humbling experiences. Anyway, it's no big deal if you test or not but I just always give people a hard time when they seem to make excuses for shit because they don't want to do it, are scared, or lazy. Not that any of that is your reason, but it could be! I think if you are an instructor, it is your responsibility to keep progressing, both in skill and rank, until you are too old (like maybe 98...then you can stop). heh

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD