hello , I have just moved to a new area where there the only really convenient school is a taekwondo school and I'm not so sure about taking taekwondo. I would rather perhaps do something that has a more balance of punches, kicks and maybe grappling. I have taken karate and some BJJ and I prefered the karate most actually. But taekwondo is of course very kick heavy. And I have an invested interest in karate for a long time... Any advice for my dilemna?
At my school there is as much focus on punching as kicking. You don't have to kick if a punch is more accesible. There is no grappling however. Baza
What Baza said; TKD is not Olympic sparring so the training you get will vary. If it's the only convenient school why not give it a go? You lose nothing and can always stop going, but you might find something you really enjoy Mitch
Taekwondo dojang, like anything else, can vary in quality quite a lot. I've known some that blend grappling from other styles into their particular school, some that cross train and take a hybrid approach. Some stick entirely to competitive sport training. One of my students took a Taekwondo class where the teacher started the first class by saying "we only focus on _____ style of Taekwondo. It isn't very effective for self-defense and isn't well suited for combative fighting. I just want to be up front with you on that." I thought that was very honest of the guy. He is a well known teacher here. Anyway, there isn't anything wrong with Taekwondo, just like there isn't anything wrong with any other martial arts. There are weaknesses in all arts, and in all schools, as well as strengths. It totally depends on what you want from your training, and what the school can offer.
