Is Tae Kwon Do a legitimate self defense discipline?

[Jutsu]

I live in an area where there really isn't any appealing karate or jiu-jitsu centers. The ones that do exist are either more centered toward youth programs or it's a small place shoved into a plaza next to a Dunkin Donuts and PetCo. I checked a couple out and they just weren't all that appealing. Either way too many students, or a not-so great looking facility (dirty, unkempt, etc)

A Tae Kwon Do facility just opened up about 10 minutes from my place, and it looks great from the street. Nice big open space with wall-to-wall mats, and many trophies/awards in the large street-facing windows. I constantly see people in there at nearly all hours of the day/night.

I don't know too much about tae kwon do, and my research is only turning up clinical overviews of the history of it. I'd like to know from anyone here who has practiced it or still practices it, whether it is a legitimate discipline in self defense? I know there are tae kwon do tournaments, which score practitioners on their ability to score strikes on each other, as well as tae kwon do exhibitions that have practitioners breaking planks of wood, cement, or clay bricks with a variety of strikes. My question is, is there any more to tae kwon do than this? Do they teach striking techniques or anything else which can be used in dangerous (street) situations to protect yourself from an attack?

I plan on going down there and seeing if they offer a free trial class, but I wanted to try to get as much information as I can from people who aren't in the business of selling lessons.

INB4 "just take ____ instead." I understand there's probably better things out there to learn self defense. But I'm not asking about what's necessarily best for self defense. I'm asking about tae kwon do, specifically. Thanks!

 

[lts5025]

Depends on the instructor. In the right hands, TKD can be a suitable striking art, especially against untrained people. If it's like a lot of American strip mall dojangs, it's not far removed from tae bo.

 

[Jutsu]

I see. Are there certain questions I can ask to determine what type of instructor(s) this center has?

 

[Frode Falch]

No.. imho

 

[lts5025]

Ask how much emphasis the school puts on TKD tournaments. TKD tournaments are usually the complete opposite of realistic self-defense.

Ask how much full-contact sparring they do vs. point sparring

Ask how long it takes to become a black belt. The longer the better.

Ask how old the youngest black belt in the school is. The older the better.

Ask if they train self-defense techniques that are separate from sport techniques or that would be illegal in a tournament.

 

[Jutsu]

Thanks a bunch lts, this is extremely helpful. I'll give them a call and ask.
I'm not expecting it to be 90% self defense. But I just don't want to sign up at a place that only focuses on tournaments and exhibitions. I don't have the time to commit to those things, atm. But if they go over how to use the techniques in self-defense situations, it'll be what I'm looking for.

 

[quikkick]

Ask how much emphasis the school puts on TKD tournaments. TKD tournaments are usually the complete opposite of realistic self-defense.

Ask how much full-contact sparring they do vs. point sparring

Ask how long it takes to become a black belt. The longer the better.

Ask how old the youngest black belt in the school is. The older the better.

Ask if they train self-defense techniques that are separate from sport techniques or that would be illegal in a tournament.

This^^^. Good TKD is actually "Korean Karate", in fact if you look at Jhoon Rhee's early books he often referred to the discipline as such. Many will even incorporate Boxing and have tough free sparring. The tournament oriented dojangs teach tons of bad habits,(hands held at waist, weakened kicks, and ZERO puches/hand strikes).

 

[Aaron Perls]

No.

Sometimes a TKD place will also teach Hapkido which is self-defense oriented.

 

[cyc wid it]

Ask how much emphasis the school puts on TKD tournaments. TKD tournaments are usually the complete opposite of realistic self-defense.

Ask how much full-contact sparring they do vs. point sparring

Ask how long it takes to become a black belt. The longer the better.

Ask how old the youngest black belt in the school is. The older the better.

Ask if they train self-defense techniques that are separate from sport techniques or that would be illegal in a tournament.

I think this post is pretty correct for evaluating many types of martial arts, not just TKD with respect to the OP's concerns.

 

[000Greed000***]

Schools in my area are just "belt factories" you basically pay for your belt. Dont get me wrong they have a bunch of trophies on their shelves from point sparring tournaments. Imo, no it isnt it drifted away from the self defense discipline when it started to become more sport cause thats all their schools do is perpare for tournaments. Ive seen a 13 year old 2nd degree black from a school around. Not bashing because I know true Korean Tae Kwon doe is very disgusting though but thats rare to find atleast around Virginia

 

[RUkickboxer]

I live in an area where there really isn't any appealing karate or jiu-jitsu centers.

A Tae Kwon Do facility just opened up about 10 minutes from my place, and it looks great from the street.

I'd like to know from anyone here who has practiced it or still practices it, whether it is a legitimate discipline in self defense?

My question is, is there any more to tae kwon do than this? Do they teach striking techniques or anything else which can be used in dangerous (street) situations to protect yourself from an attack?

I plan on going down there and seeing if they offer a free trial class, but I wanted to try to get as much information as I can from people who aren't in the business of selling lessons.

1) There are probably better ones, you just haven't found them. If you are correct, then perhaps your definition of "appealing" may need to change. Boxing gyms are typically sort of "hole-in-the-wall" places, but you'll find good teachers. A dirty BJJ/Wreslting mat is like a giant petri dish... don't train on dirty mats.

2) New place; is it taught by a korean immigrant? If so, they'll fill your head with nationalist BS and tell you that TKD can stop anything, and they are wrong. MOST likely, they teach more than just TKD. Find out.

3) I have a strong TKD background, and I have fought in MMA and kickboxing. I use TKD moves ALL the time, because it fits my range, but only the kicks. TKD punching techniques are for $hit.

4) On the street, you use the most vicious thing you can think of, immediately. So no... I've never seen a TKD school teach any real form of street self defense.
4.1) The BEST STREET SELF DEFENSE EVER IS TO BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS AND STAY OUT OF DANGER, PERIOD.

5) Take the free week, keep a skeptical mind but BE POLITE. Free can't hurt.

If you are young, go for it man, you can always add to your arsenal later.

 

[RUkickboxer]

p.s.,
Do you mind saying where you live?

 

[LEGS MAHONEY]

If you find a good school that spars regularly and realistically( including the use of their hands) yes

But its a big IF these days.

 

[BudoNoah]

WTF Taekwondo, Kukkiwon Taekwondo and smaller, more eclectic groups will work full-contact--ATA (American TKD Association) is useless for anything but building false confidence in children and becoming very athletic--and you can certainly find some dojangs that will teach valid, useful self defense. You will have to visit and watch class, and perhaps try class, to get a better feel for whether or not it would be a good fit for you. My only concern would be that TKD will typically teach the "sine wave theory" of power generation in striking, so you would be well-off to find a teacher who has trained in boxing/karate/Muay Thai/etc. so they can teach you how to actually generate power effectively for more than just kicks and uppercuts.

I will add that I think an abundance of sparring is not as necessary as many people on Sherdog seem to think, which will get me flamed, I'm sure. Since you are wanting to gain self defense skills you would be much better off working contact self defense drills than sparring--spontaneous full power attacks, ambush and multiple attacker scenarios, etc. Self defense situations don't happen at sparring range with both parties in fighting stances with their guards up. The contact sparring will help develop your striking, reaction time and ability to take a hit but you should get that out of the drills, too.

 

[flak]

Ask how much emphasis the school puts on TKD tournaments. TKD tournaments are usually the complete opposite of realistic self-defense.

Ask how much full-contact sparring they do vs. point sparring

Ask how long it takes to become a black belt. The longer the better.

Ask how old the youngest black belt in the school is. The older the better.

Ask if they train self-defense techniques that are separate from sport techniques or that would be illegal in a tournament.

Good questions. Let me throw in a few more --

*"If I train consistently and diligently for many years, is it possible I'll never earn a black belt?"

If the instructor answers "yes, that's possible" that's a good thing. Reason: At a serious school, black belts are not automatically awarded for good attendance, good effort or good attitude (or a good payment history). They signify a level of proficiency.

*"How long has the head instructor been training and what is his/her rank?"

I would much rather train with someone who has 20 years' experience and a 3rd degree black belt than someone with 20 years' experience and a 9th degree. Reason: Longer experience and lower rank probably (not always) means the organization has tougher standards for promotion and isn't handing out dan ranks like Halloween candy to make their instructors look more impressive.

*"I was thinking about training in a full-contact striking art like Muay Thai or American kickboxing -- what do you see as the pros and cons of doing that, instead of TKD?"

If they give a relatively even-handed explanation and give credit where it's due -- "full-contact will teach you how to take a punch, full-contact gives you an opportunity to see how much damage you can really do to an opponent, full contact has good application to street self-defense, etc." that's a good thing. I wouldn't expect an instructor to try to sell you on someone else's school, but if they have nothing good to say about full-contact striking arts, they're trying to sell you a fantasy, not good training.

 

[JC Rulez**]

I've seen a guy call his style Taekwondo kickboxing...he focus more on the fighting and kickboxing part of Taekwondo instead of the sports point sparring one

 

[td82394]

You know, I have trained in actually useful TKD. My instructer, Jose, was actually from Mexico, where I suppose TKD hasn't been watered down by McDojos galore (working off of theories, here). I'd never even heard of point sparring 'til I did karate after that place closed down.

So yes, it does exist.

 

[vorpal_]

just take x instead

 

[robofries]

try finding something else if its a macdojo.... good judo, wrestling, kickboxing, boxing etc is more effective than point sparring tae kwon do

There is a tkd class taught before our MMA class... its funny to watch them, because anyone in our class could badly whoop the instructors asses any day, any given time. And I'm not saying this to say were badasses, no the TKD guys there are just pussies.

 

[LEGS MAHONEY]

I've seen a guy call his style Taekwondo kickboxing...he focus more on the fighting and kickboxing part of Taekwondo instead of the sports point sparring one

Yes its called korean kickboxing by some of its practioners.I think good tkd should indeed look like a bit more exotic version of kickboxing when done correctly.