TMA Fans: Your experiences with Tae Kwon Do?

[Bob Probert]

I started wtf tkd about a month ago and I love it. I was there tonight actually. I happen to train at one of the top wtf schools in Canada though so it isn't your typical mcdojo. My club brings home more provincial, national, international medals than any other sports club in my city. The cardio, flexibility, agility is JUST AWESOME! I test for my yellow belt next month. Glad to see other tkdr's here!

 

[yodaman]

Tae Kwon Do helped me gain an unnatural amount of flexibility and leg movement, (think yawning when put in a banana split flexible) along with a ton of bad habits regarding my hands and stance. Were the gains worth it? ...Eventually.

 

[TigerArm]

Basically my opinion has already been stated. Wtf style stuff, while fun, is not very realistic, but TKD does have its benefits.

That being said, I have a greenbelt in TKD. My master runs a Hapkido/TKD school so the TKD he teaches is stripped down with added elements. We stick with the basic kicks for a while (I'm about halfway up the ranks and just now learning spin kicks) but also learn a lot of boxing offense and defense. Later on you learn the fancier kicks and also lots of clinchwork. My instructors' goal is to not just turn us into good TKD practicioners but also well rounded stand up fighters. Basically we're kickboxers that also practice kata, meditate, and smash through stuff with out fists. :icon_chee


Most guys at my school turn out looking like this guy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8YYZGvKM-8&feature=PlayList&p=BAB10795550A5B01&index=0

 

[Bob Probert]

Basically my opinion has already been stated. Wtf style stuff, while fun, is not very realistic, but TKD does have its benefits.

That being said, I have a greenbelt in TKD. My master runs a Hapkido/TKD school so the TKD he teaches is stripped down with added elements. We stick with the basic kicks for a while (I'm about halfway up the ranks and just now learning spin kicks) but also learn a lot of boxing offense and defense. Later on you learn the fancier kicks and also lots of clinchwork. My instructors' goal is to not just turn us into good TKD practicioners but also well rounded stand up fighters. Basically we're kickboxers that also practice kata, meditate, and smash through stuff with out fists. :icon_chee


Most guys at my school turn out looking like this guy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8YYZGvKM-8&feature=PlayList&p=BAB10795550A5B01&index=0

Holy shit those guys are pretty fucking good!! Who are they? Are they from your school? Do they compete in MMA yet? What school do you train at?

 

[Shadowdean]

Trained in it since 1992. While I do not strictly practice WTF TKD anymore, I credit it for a lot of my kicking and foot work. It is absolutely a huge part of my stand up game.

 

[quikkick]

ITF all the way.....the olympic style gives far too many handicaps.

 

[martin308]

ITF all the way.....the olympic style gives far too many handicaps.

What are the handicaps? WTF > ITF for sparring in my experience (full contact vs. touch) I do like the ITF attention to detail in patterns, techniques etc though

 

[Rink]

I probably posted here but I can't remember because this is a really old thread. But from my experiences, TKD was horrible. It's not really the style itself that was the problem, it was the quality of instruction. I've went to three different schools and they were all shit. But regardless of instruction, I don't see what special advantage TKD would give that Muay Thai or other styles wouldn't if MMA or self-defense was the purpose.

 

[CELS]

What are the handicaps? WTF > ITF for sparring in my experience (full contact vs. touch) I do like the ITF attention to detail in patterns, techniques etc though

The level of contact in ITF sparring depends greatly on where you compete (small regional championships vs larger international ones). I haven't tried WTF full contact sparring, so for all I know it's dangerous business, but what with all the protection gear and the emphasis on fast kicks and screaming, I'm not entirely convinced it is the tougher of the two. Maybe I'll change my mind when I try it.

Oh, and the handicap is the lack of punches to the head and the closely related poor defence skills (low guard, no head movement, etc).

I probably posted here but I can't remember because this is a really old thread. But from my experiences, TKD was horrible. It's not really the style itself that was the problem, it was the quality of instruction. I've went to three different schools and they were all shit. But regardless of instruction, I don't see what special advantage TKD would give that Muay Thai or other styles wouldn't if MMA or self-defense was the purpose.

I do agree that the quality of instruction in TKD is generally quite poor. Your last point is interesting though. It depends on the school, but I'd say that the best TKD schools have an advantage in putting more emphasis on the more unusual / difficult kicks such as axe kicks and spinning kicks. I haven't trained MT, but they do seem to stick to their bread and butter more than TKD practicioners. While fancy kicks aren't terribly useful for self defence, it's nice to surprise more orthodox strikers in the ring.
But for MMA and self-defense, I agree that MT is better than TKD.

 

[The_Bear]

Worthless imo. They teach you a bunch worthless techiques and katas that aren't good for anything but show, and that are completely worthless in a real fight. It's more of an art form than a fighting style really.

Who said fighting can't be an art? It's really one of the greatest expressions of the physical body and mental precision and sharpness working together.... totally off topic but just noticed that....

Anyway....

From what I've seen of TKD schools is that the flexibility training is fantastic but there is not emphasis on power with the kicks or punches, just speed, based on using the strength of the limb to rely on as the accelerator of the limb and be the power source . Instead of using the hips and waist for more power.

 

[M_72]

I haven't tried WTF full contact sparring, so for all I know it's dangerous business, but what with all the protection gear and the emphasis on fast kicks and screaming, I'm not entirely convinced it is the tougher of the two. Maybe I'll change my mind when I try it.

The Hogu, taekwondo chest guard is for the judges to score the sound of the points. It doesn't protect at all if the person knows how to kick. So, anyone whos capable of fighting above locally, basically.

Headgear was designed to prevent injury from KO'ed guys hitting their head on the floor. In the earlier years, there were no headgear, even at World level.

 

[KissyPoo]

I did TKD in two "waves":

1) When I was a kid, I did ITF TKD. It was basically Korean Karate with hand techniques pulled from boxing (bad boxing, at that). Kicks were pretty basic (nothing flashy, just straightforward kicking). Hands were always held up. When I was younger, training was basically like being in boot camp with a ton of calisthenics (which I hated); when I got a little bit older, we got a different instructor and he emphasized more technique over the calisthenics and he was more laid back.

2) In college, I did WTF TKD. Night and day...hands were just straight punches to the chest since no punching to the face/head was allowed. Since no face/head punching were allowed, hands were kept low to conserve energy. Conditioning was more important than when I did ITF TKD because sparring was full contact (as opposed to no/light contact when I was in ITF TKD) so you took a lot of body shots and clashing shins were also common (probably more an indication more of our clumsiness than anything since we all tended to just wade in and try to round house and axe kick each other to death). Suddenly, the axe kick was one of the most favored kicks, which I thought was strange (it just seems to be a really odd kick to want to favor).

Thinking back on it all, I think the best training I got was when we were put through boot camp each class (since I would at least have been in better shape had I stuck with it). When classes got more laid back and more technical with the change in instructors, I think we lost something in terms of conditioning and in terms of "edge". Sparring full contact in the WTF TKD classes was an eye opener for me, since I was a typical nerd who had never done any contact sports up until then; even if getting punched to the head wasn't allowed, taking full shots to the body, even with a chest protector, really sucked.

Self defense value was questionable in all cases. I still remember being asked what to do if you wound up mounted when the black belts in the WTF club were doing a Q&A on self defense and their answer was "don't get into the position because once you're there, you're screwed"...strange advice considering that one of them was a brown belt in Judo and the other guy also had some Judo experience (plus a father who taught both TKD and Judo).

 

[davis_s]

Trained ITF for 3 months had yellow belt green stripe. Thought it was a joke for rank progression. Started WTF did it 12 months had green belt blue strip, realized it was all like that.

Honestly it helped alot with flexibility and probably GPP. I shouldve stuck with it but it just seemed laughable even at 12-13. I look back and realize the flexibility and mobility would definitely help now.

 

[random shot:]

The main benifits of TKD are better kicks than any other style period because there are more types of kicks in TKD than any other style (larger range) also TKD guys have insane flexibility and speed the ability to throw kicks from any angle and any positon on either leg with power and great footwork.

Of course having the best kicks in MA's means having the worst hands but Boxers have the best hands and worst legs in MA's so a mix of the 2 will make a lethal striker

Heres an e.g of some awesome TKD kicks used to crush a MT fighter enjoy

YouTube - TKD vs MT

 

[random shot:]

Oh i forgot the best thing kicking combos like in boxing you throw 5-6 punches in a matter of seconds same with TKD kicks you can throw them out one after the other real fast it's awesome and the one thing i keep hearing from MT/Karate/KB's when i spar is "i got no problem blocking your first kick but that follow up kick is impposible to counter"

 

[AXelator]

Oh i forgot the best thing kicking combos like in boxing you throw 5-6 punches in a matter of seconds same with TKD kicks you can throw them out one after the other real fast it's awesome and the one thing i keep hearing from MT/Karate/KB's when i spar is "i got no problem blocking your first kick but that follow up kick is impposible to counter"

Except Tkd kicks have very little power and are more "slapping" in nature. They also carry there hands low and have zero boxing ability. Posting one video of a shit muay thai fighter who looks likve he has never sparred before doesn't change that.

BTW I have a brown belt in TKD.

 

[Udyrfrykte]

I sparred in kickboxing rules against TKD fighters. They didnt like to get punched in the face, at all. Good kicks though

 

[Lizardman]

Except Tkd kicks have very little power and are more "slapping" in nature.

Bull. While the fact can be argued, Thai kicks are more powerful (this is more to the nature of the tech and how it impacts) this notion TKD kicks are "weak, slappy" kicks is dumb. A proper kick is a proper kick.

Granted, in tourneys where points matter rather than damage, it all turns into because it's a point game. But you grab any TKD blackbelt worth the fabric he's wearing and you'll get anything but a slapping kick, Hogu or no Hogu.

 

[Valiss]

I swear I must be the only one... but....

I did TKD for years and it wasnt affiliated with ITF or WTF or whatever. IT was taught by a guy from Korea and we did it all:kicks, punches, etc. When we sparred you could strike anywhere (groin, face, etc). So it was probably more self defense than sport stuff. We were taught how to punch/kick the face, did knees and elbows, etc. It was very complete and translated very well to kickboxing for me. I can do kicks that no one at my gym sees coming but were very commonplace when I traied TKD. I dunno...

 

[lord_kader]

Except Tkd kicks have very little power and are more "slapping" in nature.

thats just stupid to say... in competition they dont hit full force b/c they are just looking to get points as quick as possible while stopping your opponent from hitting you, but i can guarantee any half descent TKD practitioner can hit you as hard as he needs to to get the KO. i have had my arm broken during practice sparring against a 1st degree BB that wasnt even trying to hit me hard.

the reason people say MT fighters hit harder is b/c from the release of their kick they are throwing all their power and hips into the rotation trying to gather as much speed and power as possible before hitting their target while in TKD their kicks are designed to trick your opponent. the first step to every forward kick is knee up and then they go separate ways from there (this is to make it more difficult to tell which kick is coming b/c they all look the same for a few seconds longer than MT) and then for the round kick you twist your hips into it from there meaning yes, you get less power but you are less predictable. that is why it takes more training for a TKD practitioner to get power onto his kicks. he must do it thousands of times before it really starts getting powerful