ITF TKD Practitioners Only

Discussion in 'Tae Kwon Do Resources' started by mdgee, Sep 10, 2014.

  1. mdgee

    mdgee Valued Member

    I feel strangely drawn toward TKD. A friend turned me on to it and ever since I have been searching for a good school. May have even found it but time will tell. If not, I'll study another martial art. I've always got Shotokan.

    Anyway, here's my question. Why did you choose ITF over WTF?
     
  2. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    I chose ITF when I came back from the States (in my teens) because it was the only style available locally.

    Personally I found sine wave ridiculous and switched to a non-sine wave association at the earliest opportunity.
     
  3. mdgee

    mdgee Valued Member

    Van Zandt, you mention Sine Wave. I know the definition but I don't understand how that applies to TKD? Could you please elaborate?
     
  4. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    It's an up-and-down motion performed during patterns and linework. It was invented by Gen. Choi as a method of increasing power in techniques. But that's a load of tosh. There are better ways to train all the things sine wave is sold on without looking that stupid. The fact that people who do sine wave in patterns, don't do it in sparring or self-defence, tells you all you need to know about its carryover to applicable situations. Sadly there are a lot of ITF practitioners who will defend it like the Church of Scientology.
     
  5. fatcat

    fatcat Valued Member

    I am in an ITF off-shoot school. I chose it for the personal fit, convenience etc and am not regretting the choice.
    We don't use Sine Wave at all. Interestingly, when we have competitions these are open to other schools and the ITF clubs seem to win most of the pattern prizes. They have really good form, nice and deep stances, etc.
     
  6. mjl

    mjl ITF Taekwon-Do (1st Dan)

    I'm being taught ITF patterns with sign wave but in our dojang people who exaggerate the movements are told not to. It was explained to us similar to this (warning, 8th kup paraphrasing about to occur!). You are in a Gunnun-Sogi long/deep walking stance with reverse punch such as in the first half of Chon-Ji and need to spin around to block from behind. Unless you have super-human hip strength, you will naturally need to bend your forward knee a little to generate the movement required to pull back and rotate yourself to position for the next action. Once you come to position you're at the highest point and then when you continue into the stance again you'll be naturally lower. When doing so, apply the block with full power. There should be no exaggeration of sign wave; if doing it right, the movement should feel strong and natural.

    Sorry if I'm talking the tosh Van Zandt speaks of but I do have highly qualified instructors so I am happy to risk posting up in support of my learning :)
     
  7. Rhythmkiller

    Rhythmkiller Animo Non Astutia

    The sign wave debate has been done to death. I am also an ITF practitioner and to be honest i could do without it.

    Having said that i shall elaborate on a strnage occurence. My dojang got a new board holder on Monday and new rebreakable boards to boot. I have never done breaking before so was excited to start. Firstly the board was thick, thicker than i thought it'd be. I actually thought the boards i see TKD breaking were actually props so this was a bit of a shock.

    First attempt side kick = break
    Second attempt turning kick = break, cant pull those toes back too far you see.
    First attempt punch = break and broken knuckle

    Knife hand chop using left hand failed on first two attempts, getting embarassed now i decided to sign wave applying the chop on downward motion and hey presto, one broken board and a very happy me.

    Baza
     
  8. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    There is a difference between knee spring and dropping weight into techniques that occurs naturally, and the exaggerated movements labelled "sine wave" by a number of instructors.

    The polar opposite of sine wave is hip twist. Then you have a sort of middle ground reminiscent of Japanese karate, with no bobbing motion or hip twist. I guess it's a horses for courses type thing.

    Sine wave should still be made a criminal offence, though.
     

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