ATA

[redranger]

is anyone besides me a member of ATA?

[Chapel]

Judging from the other thread you started, no.

Maybe you could tell us what you think the difference between ATA and other orgs are.

[disgruntled]

what does the ATA stand for? here it is the alberta teachers assoication.... and in that case my mom is

[redranger]

ATA stands for American Taekwondo Association

[wmks shogun]

The ATA is the American branch of the (World?) Song Ahm Tae Kwon Do association. The style is not affiliated with either ITF nor WTF. From what I have seen the style resembles the WTF during the height of the palgwae poomse (medium low stances, more kicks than the ITF forms). In fact, the Song Ahm forms probably have more kicks than the others combined, though it still includes a fair amount of punches and hand strikes.
For the record, no, I am not ATA, but I have done a little research.

[Sah bu nim]

Redranger,

I can not say I am part of the ATA or WTF of ITF, my certification is through grandmaster Kwan soo Han at US tae kwon do college in Virginia. I have however thought about becoming certified as an instructor through ATA. I'm still thinking about it, I went to one of they're black belt ceremonies, I agree with the symbolic washing of bad habits and such. I do think though the song they play before that, "Proud to be in the ATA, in the path of master lee" I thought that was a bit much , maybe it is an endurance test, I don't know but it kinda put me off a bit. I'm use to silent, no music advancing ceremonies. Hope I don't offend but It wouldn't be my first choice. I told them I could be teaching as soon as five days if they gave me the right material and someone to show me the forms. At no time did anyone make an effort to teach me even though I aksed everyday i was there. The instructional tapes are not to my satisfaction. Being an instructor I saw wasted time all over the place in how they run they're classes. I still think Master lees teachings are valuable, just the people that are teaching it that i encounterd were not passionate for it, more like it was a hassle to them to teach, which gives a bad energy. Just my exsperience. ~Sah Bum Nim

[wmks shogun]

Sah Bu Nim,
Just to wonder, what forms set did you use under your instructor? (Merely curious). Also, why would you switch from what you have been dong to ATA?

[Sensei Tom OBrien]

Sah bu nim,

I hope your wish comes true and you get certified as an instructor through ATA. You sound like you are a good martial arts instructor.
Thanks,
Sensei Tom

[Sah bu nim]

I've learned pal gwae , tae gaek, choo mo, koryo and kum gang black belt forms. The song ahm forms are very differnt, I'm still trying to get use to them. I also learned a korean weapon dicipline called piong panta bong, not sure of the spelling. Means dragons tongue small stick. The form that goes to it is over two hundred movements. The same weapon has a few differnt names and differnt shapes. I've been to six differnt schools now. I concider it like fishing. I've thrown alot back.
ATA seems like a very good school but the instructors I'm working with take constructive criticism kinda hard. Maybe because I'm younger than them, but I have more teaching exsperience. I'va had that trouble at a few places. The school I began teaching at I loved, I was there everyday before the head instructor cleaning and practicing. Everyone was very respectfull and regardless of my age litsened. But my head instructor would not let me advance. I knew everything front to back with my eyes closed and he still wouldn't teach me anymore. I was working for four hundred a month. I was the program director handleing all the paper work and ordering equipment and supplies. I taught all the classes including classes in a differnt dicipline simply because the instructor wouldn't show up half the time. Normaly I wouldn't have done that but I had taken him class too so i knew they're forms as well in nihon tai jitsu. Before i trained martial arts I was a pianist, I started playing when I was four and always had a piano to play. Because I was only making four hundred a month I couldn't keep up on my bills. I sold everything from dvd's, paintings, furniture, big screens, video games and consoles, including my piano just to keep teaching. It came to the point I had nothing left to sell. My husband gave me an altimatum. Master or husband. I pleaded with my instructor that I couldn't live of what he was paying me. I told him what I did in order to continue teaching there and it was like he didn't care. So I had to leave. I looked for other school's to teach at but it just isn't the same. I have mixed emotions because I know he had more to teach me, he just refused. There was no reason for him to deny me, he was the only person who even came close to a mentor or someone to look up to and he ruined that by chosing to use people. I found out later I wasn't the only one he made homeless. I miss being at his school and wish to know how he is but at the same time have a great amount of resentmant towards him. I havn't had a piano in over five years. But I bet you he still has his jaguar. Thats why I left, even though I didn't want to I had to make a choice. If it wasn't for my husband I would probebly still be there eating three times a week, living on the streets. I gave so much effort even on days I hadn't eaten I worked out so hard I would make myself sick and puke whatever was in my stomach. He had the gaul to tell me I didn't have the heart for it. This is why I have such a foul taste in my mouth. Can you blame me?

~Sah Bum Nim

[Chapel]

It really is pretty ridiculous that someone would have you do all that and use up so much of your time that you wouldn't be able to get a second job. You are right to have left.

[wmks shogun]

I hope you find someplace that will allow you to share your experience and love for the art but will still respect you.
I have seen clips of the Song Ahm forms and you are right, they are rather different.

[Shinobi_Kokujin]

hmmm....think im gonna ask my instructors if ATA is related to KTA....was wondering about that or does anyone here know?


i like how they incorporated the advanced kicks in the Song Ahm forms.....some of them though....it would prolly take me a week or 2 to get it right lol

[Chapel]

There is really no need to incorporate highly advanced kicks into forms other than to make a good show. I'm currently working on a little project of mine that involves breaking each technique down into component movements. Its far from done, but I think that each form (Palgue or Taeguek) may provide the specific movements necessary to perform any technique in Tae Kwon Do.

With my limited knowledge of ATA, I do know that each of those forms follows a diamond shaped pattern instead of the 'double I' pattern. The major difference beyond that is that ATA forms don't always use the entire pattern.

[Sah bu nim]

I do know the song ahm pattern is completed when you put all the forms together required for the black belt test. The first form is just a straight line, then a few after that a rectangles, then there is a form with a figure eight pattern. So essentially the whole pattern is used.

[Chapel]

Yes, you are right about that. However, I mean that the Tae Guek forms always follow the same pattern and always use the entire pattern, where as the ATA forms have differing patterns.