My first MT experience and a very interesting conversation

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by Slavist, Oct 2, 2005.

  1. Slavist

    Slavist New Member

    So, I am stuck in my dorm on a Saturday night, because I am on duty, so I decided to share with you my first MT experience and a very interesting conversation I had today with an MT practitioner. This post is not about bragging or anything, I am just sharing my experience.

    First some background. I have been doing TKD-Moo Duk Kwan for about nine months now. I have enjoyed the experience immensely, because we are a very old fashioned school. The slightest mistake can result in knuckle push-ups and when we spar, we spar heavy contact withoutany protection. However, I have never liked the forms part of the art, but I can see some of their benefits. Despite loving the experience, my ultimate goal is to do a Muay Thai and Judo combo (maybe in law school).

    Just recetly, I met a Korean guy who is rushing my fraternity, and who has been doing MT+BJJ for about 1.5 years now and is a black belt in TKD. He is absolutely amazing at kicking and puncking and is having his first fight in several months. Long story short, I went to do some pad-work with him today. We did mid-level and low roundhouses and knees.

    I am really happy to say that he was absolutely impressed by the power of my roundhouses and knees. He said that my mechanics need a lot of work (I already knew that) but he said that if I was packing so much power in it like that, I should be absolutely devastating with proper technique :D My biggest problem was not turning my hip early enough and making a short step before I kick. Also, he said my knees were really good, despite the fact I have never trained them. We will now start doing pad work once a week and some sparring on a less regular basis. I am still continuing with TKD.

    So much about the practice. Now, while we were walking back to our dorms we started talking about TKD (he is a black belt). When I described him our practice, he gave me a look and said "I need to see it, but from the sound of it you are not doing TKD, but I don't know what the heck you are doing" I asked him why, and he replied that TKD was never intended to be a fighting art, but a sport. When I told him that all of the kicks we are taught are power-kicks and we don't do any of the pointless fast, weak flurry of kicks, he exclaimed "But that's HOW TKD IS SUPPOSED TO BE!" He said that maybe I am doing Tang Soo Do, but definitely not TKD.

    So what's your opinion on that conversation? I have always thought that the way we study TKD is the way is was inetended to be taught - as a powerful and devastating art. I attribute the power in my kicks to my TKD training (and soccer). Usually, most people on MAP, consider the fast sport version of TKD to be a disgrace. But here is a native Korean with a black belt (and whose family has been involved with TKD for awhile) who thinks that sports TKD is the way TKD is supposed to be. He said that he took MT to develop his power, because TKD was all about speed.
     
  2. MartialArtN00b

    MartialArtN00b New Member

    If what you do remotely resembles what you do in your tkd forms, then you do tdk. And if your tkd is better than his tkd, so much the better.
     
  3. pulp fiction

    pulp fiction TKD fighter

    In my TKD school we are taught to accomplish both things, power and speed.

    I guess these is because my instructor always encourages us to go for a straight KO.

    I totally agree with you that TKD can be a devastating art when done properly.

    I mean every MA can be devastating if taught and practiced correctly.
     
  4. Gray

    Gray New Member

    Taekwondo was originally a military art, right? Why shouldn't it be devastating and powerful!?
     
  5. Another Muay Thai Guy

    Another Muay Thai Guy Valued member

    TKD was never invented to just be a sport. In it's original form it was a very traditional MA, which sounds very similar to what you practice in your dojang. Obviously over the years it has progressed (or regressed, depending on your opinion) into the two main factions; WTF and ITF. In general, ITF still keeps the more traditional side, and WTF practices the sport-sparring side.
     
  6. Gray

    Gray New Member

    I trained in ITF for about three years. There was no way I was going to butt heads with my opponent while wearing a suit of armour, heh heh.
     
  7. Davey Bones

    Davey Bones New Member

    So what if there is a TSD or a Kickboxing influence in your art? It sounds to me as though this guy is an MMA nutrider and probably feels that "it's TKD therefore it must be crap". Also keep in mind, there are as many bad teachers in Korea as there are elsewhere, and perhaps that's the party line he got fed into his head!
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2005
  8. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    If the guy trained in Korea then he more than likely studied WTF. I think WTF is also very widespread in the states? US members feel free to correct my ignorance.

    This style of TaeKown Do is more sports orientated (broad generalisation no. 1, but generally holds true depending on instructor).

    WTF TKD is taught as part of the schools syllabus in Korea and, as I understand it, is taught as a sport. If anyone knows better please feel free to correct me again.

    So your guy perhaps studied sport TKD, as taught in Korea, so that's "how it should be" for him.

    ITF is more traditional, more self-defence orientated (broad generalisation no.2, but generally holds true depending on instructor).

    I don't mean any of this in a critical way of any style, just an observation on the differences that might give rise to his statement.

    Mitch
     
  9. tellner

    tellner Valued Member

    Very widespread. You can't turn around without tripping over a Grandmaster All Asia Champion with an Olympic program.

    Closer to its Shotokan roots. If that makes it traditional and self-defence oriented I suppose that's true.
     
  10. Yohan

    Yohan In the Spirit of Yohan Supporter

    There was a thread in the TSD forum a while back that discussed the differences between TSD and TKD. I don't remember exactly, but there were saying something like: TSD is mostly moo duk kwan.

    So he may be correct in saying that what you do sounds like TSD.
     
  11. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    I'd prefer closer to it's military roots, but what the hey :)

    Mitch
     
  12. benkei

    benkei Valued Member

    Military roots? What the?
     
  13. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    TKD was developed in the Korean army by General Choi. It's based on Shotokan to a greater or lesser extent, mixed with some native Korean arts. It has developed its own character increasingly over the years as it has evolved. He called his group the International TaeKwon Do Federation, or ITF.

    A schism occured when General Choi moved to Canada. TKD was a matter of Korean national pride by then, taught on school curriculums etc (I believe, someone else may correct me on the timeline as to when it was introduced to the Korean school system).

    As a result, a rival TKD organisation was formed in Korea, the WTF.

    The WTF has moved increasingly towards a sporting application, perhaps fittingly for something taught in schools. This is not to deny its martial origins, but the nature of the style is now generally directed towards competition eg Olympics.

    The ITF has remained more "Traditional". It is less focussed on competition and closer to what General Choi developed in the Korean army.

    I was being somewhat facetious with my "military roots" comment, hence the smiley; some Koreans do not like to think about TKD having Japanes roots, for obvious historical reasons.

    Mitch

    Edit to add: Sorry if you know all this already, your profile doesn't mention your style so I don't know if this is teaching my grandma to suck eggs...
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2005

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