[47MartialMan]

Originally Posted by TRIANGLEFROMGAURD

Can you do that in Olympic TKD?

I'm going to be blatantly honest right now. TKD while in my opinion is a good art and, some of the guys I've seen from Korea are pretty bad a**. Most of the American TKD I've seen is pretty much hot garbage. It's not that the art is bad but, TKD schools in America have really found their niche and that is soccer moms. Soccer moms will spend loads of money on their kids and TKD in America focuses on that demographic. Thats why when you walk into a TKD school you're likely to see a 14 or 15 year old black belt doing wheel kicks. That is very impressive to a mother of another teen but, to most other martial artists we're not that impressed. Also in the fight community we don't think very highly of TKD simply because they mainly do point sparring.

I remember an early fight of mine, it was at a bar in NWI called Finkies they use to do NHB iron man competitions with the winner taking home something like $1000, my first fight was against a TKD black belt, I remember being nervous because it was the first time I fought a black belt under MMA rules. He landed a really good round house to my mid section but, did nothing afterward I was like ok good night then and dropped him with a left cross. The thing is if he would have trained to be a fighter I'm not saying he would of beat me, because I'm really awesome , but it would have been a longer fight for sure.

The point that I've always stated is that it's not so much what you train, and I really believe that to be true people, it's how you train. So before you TKD people start throwing flying cresent kicks my way. Realize I said most American TKD not all. You me be a total bad a** I don't know.

Cheers and goodluck training.

I agree to a degree and approve this post....

Originally Posted by Joemoplata

You missed my point.

Once a combat sport adopts a set of rules for competition, most quality schools are going to concentrate on that set of rules for training. Competition is what drives most arts, not self defense because if you're a Karate guy and you want to test yourself the best way to do this would be to compete in a Karate tournament. And the only smart way to train for a competition is to train within the rule set.

And TKD is one of the most restrictive rule sets of any Martial Arts competition as to where and how you can strike.

Well, you missed my point. Though the above actually supports it.....

Originally Posted by TRIANGLEFROMGAURD

Do they still have the rule that no points can be scored on the back? And I like that even though this is a thread on TKD we still end up talking about boxing and wrestling .................................haters

Well, we were talking about set rules in competition, and since there are rules, each have its own.

So whats the point of dicussing the rules of TKD, when others have their own set as well.....

Originally Posted by john55

Can you point me to any research that says the US has the worst education standards? I know that there arent any. Researchers dont even do studies like that. I coulnt even imaging setting up a research study like that...and I do a lot of research read a lot of it.

Being strict for the kids classes may be good for them. But for the adult classes? Come on. And I do agree, schools in america are not that strict and should be more but the US school system is much better than other countries. Besides that argument though, as someone who knows about teaching and research on teaching, there is a big difference in teaching adults and kids. My bjj school is not strict. It is more like a sport. We respect the coach, sometimes call him by his name, coach, sir, but its up to us. Respect is good and great. I just think it may be overboard a bit for the adult classes thats all.

There are differences between adults and children but TKD does not seem to want to recognize them. That is why 14-16 year old have black belts. In bjj, you cant even earn a blue belt (which is the lowest besides white), until you are 16 and then you have many years till black. Seeing a black belt under 20 years old would be amazing and be an elite athlete. Im not trying to compare the two, but its just a good example.

I approve this message....