TKD is an uneffective form of self defense. I do think it's a good traditional form of martial art, but I promise if you try to use it against an expirianced fighter you will loose. Personally I take muay thai, escrima, wing chung kung fu, and brazilian jujitsu. Ive also taken cocepts of jeet kun do. Any one of these is better that traditional tkd. I don't want to offend anyone, its just that most people that take TKD or Karate think their gaining practical self defense techniques and thats just not true. 70% of tkd is useless. I know I earned up to brown belt in tkd before I moved on to what i do now.
Thing is, like I said in an earlier post, students aren't taught how to apply the moves which is a disadvantage giving them the mentality that it isn't all that great.
Sometimes what you're taught to be a block is actually a pull and strike.
You can find out more through the teachings of these guys that make videos and books on how to apply the moves you're taught.
Come on, in a real fight, you're not going to pull one fist back to your waist and low-block with the other arm now are you? The pulling back is grabbing your opponent and the thing you're taught as block is striking them.
Back then, a few years ago, my teacher's corrupt son who was on 3rd dan at the time decided to teach a few of us pressure points. Recently, my bf who's a martial arts/comics fanatic decided to teach me pressure points as well.
That guy George Dillman (look him up through Google) covers how to use techniques and pressure points.
...........no offense to anyone but yeah that sounds kinda silly...have you ever heard of any teachers who teach a street version of this art?(after all i want to learn something that i can actually aply to real life situations...not to just mess around...)
I was with a very formal teaching, it was almost treated as a sport like tennis or something, as it was semi contact.
I mentioned my teacher's son who sometimes took the class whilst his old man was off, the guy was around 23-24, probably a rough youth in his time he decided to show us how to apply the techniques in a real fight, I don't know if that's allowed in the federation but i really don't see why not. If we're going to be taught something, might as well be taught properly
The way TKD is taught nowadays, it's good for exercise and tournaments, nothing more. If you use certain techniques right they can be effective, but for the most part it's not a good art to learn if you want to know how to defend yourself on the street.
The problem I have with the traditional martial arts, is they are rehearsed rhythms until someone comes along with something different thus you have a broken rhythm. If you train to one certain rhythm, then you can't adapt when something different comes along. It's like Bruce Lee's philosophy about being like water, how it's shapeless and formless, you put it in a cup it becomes the cup, but it in a pot it becomes the pot. He demonstrated this idea in his unfinished movie called the Game of Death. He fights his way up this building that has five different levels, and at each level there is this person he has to fight that each have their own discipline. The two guys he has with him only know how to fight in their 'traditional' martial art, thus they can't adapt to fighting the person of a different discipline and get beat up badly. So then Bruce has to fight and defeat each level because his style is no style, thus he can adapt.
So I'd suggest either finding an instructor who teaches practical street techniques, or learn some Muy Tai Kickboxing and some forms of Kung Fu are good, keep what works and forget what doesn't. And also get as much training in BJJ (Brazilian Jujistu) as you can. That's my advice for anyone looking to get some practical street defense training.
Most things your learn in reality you wont be able to us
it is most unlikely that you would be able to use it for real life combat
Bruce Lee knew this and try to teach this to others, and thats why his such a great martial artist. He closed hi dojos because most of the students he taught didnt understand it and so he only would let a few learn from him
Things you learn are one thing applying to real life is another
but these days things are pretty much what you see in Asami's sig
I agree with BakaXero, in these days is Kung Fu vs. Gun Fu
It's one thing to fight someone in a ring or in a square with a referee and judges to make sure the fight stays clean and systematic. People train for that and think they can be just as effective on the street. For example, in boxing everytime you get into a clinch, the ref either breaks it up or tells you to fight out of it. But on the street, there is no referee, and no one there keeping points. They're gonna do groin shots, eye pokes, biting, knee shots, hold your arm while punching you, headbutts, grab and take you down, anything and everything to win the fight. That's my experience with martial arts vs. street fighter.
My goal in posting my opinions and experiences is for those who are reading this that are looking for something practical for self defense to at least have some ideas to think about. I hope this helps.
I look forward to reading other's experiences and wisdom. Keep em comin'.
I live in New Zealand and Taekwondo is my life. I train like every day and if i had the choice i would quit school and carry out my training. i've been all over new zealand, australia, korea, canada and america for tkd. im loving it. im second dan black belt. wat bots you guys????
yea you have a point tazman bt it depends wat you do Taekwondo or any martial arts for that matters. at training you can train for tournaments, self defence or jst for fittness and the fun of it. if you take it serice you can learn street fighting. you won't practice it full out but you can learn it. i have a police officer who is an instructor at our tkd club and he is awsome. he brings along sticks and his gear and helps us learn the street way, as he has experienced this himself.
it does depend on who is teaching you and if you reali want to learn it or jst cnt be botherd or doing it for fun. tkd is a complex martial art and in mi opion one of the best around but then i guess i would say that because i love it. i've been to other karate etc clubs but nothing reali add's up to tkd. its full of different aspects and for me never gets boring
70% percent? More than likely, you got that random number out of your head. It is not about the percentage of effectiveness its the level of perfection... It all depends on the person and how much the individual apply themselves. And last I checked, TKD is a Olympic Sport, not a form of self defense.
KMC Community Forums
Feb 29th, 2004 02:22 PM
he decided to show us how to apply the techniques in a real fight, I don't know if that's allowed in the federation but i really don't see why not. If we're going to be taught something, might as well be taught properly
