Was wondering if any of you guys can answer a question for me. My 8-yr-old daughter is studying taekwondo, she is at a place affiliated with Taekwondo America. She enjoys it, I think it is doing her a lot of good, and students from here do quite well at regional and national tournaments. THere is another place in town affiliated with American Taekwondo Association. I have seen some people from there kind of snicker about TA. Some parents have moved their kids from one to the other from time to time. What is the difference? Is it a philosophical difference? Is their practice of the sport different? Is one better than the other? Why? Have tried to do a little search on the net, have not found much. Any help/opinions/answers appreciated, thanks.

don't worry the associations. it lies in the instructor. i've studied 3 totally different martial art forms and especially for kids TKD is the most sport. other forms are more adult or serious, with the exception of judo. but there again it is the instructor. if the instructor makes it fun for the kids, its fun. if not they will loose interest quick.

+1 Butchloc

Depending upon the purpose of the training, along with the maturity of the child - teenager, martial arts like Karate, Tae Kwon Do and Judo are good introductions to martial arts. With Karate and Judo, the techniques have been watered down, and the styles have become more of a sport. This may not be such a bad thing - fitness, fun with 'fighting' thrown in.

However, for practical self defense use,the up close, close the distance fighting styles like boxing, Wing Chung (various spellings) and Ju Jitsu are more useful self defense techniques. However, these are 'fighting' techniques, and not a sport as such. The techniques are designed to hurt and seriously damage an opponent. So, for the younger child and adolescent, possibly, it would be better for them to train in a 'sport' like philosophy / club.

I will justify the self defense remark by saying an individual needs boxing, kicking and wrestling / grappling techniques for what I would call 'useful' self defense. Some styles seem to concentrate upon punching and kicking and neglect wrestling and floor techniques.

I have trained without much great success, but lots of fun, in the more karate like punching and kicking fighting styles like Lau Gar, but have now switched to Wing Chung because I was never paricularly flexible - fit to perform all the fancy kicks and not particulatly fast either. However, I have found with Wing Chung, I have speeded up relatively by maing better use of what speed and timimg I have - slipping the punch through small movements and stepping in, and to one side of an opponent.

Like any sport or activity, until they are 'serious', concentrate upon the fun and fitness aspects, and have then train with therir friends.

Only because you asked about philosophical differences: http://www.boxingarts.com/

As a sport and a discipline the marshal arts are great for anyone. But if you want to teach your kids self defense find some gang banger that just got out of the pen and have him show you how to survive when your life is on the line. Better yet teach them how to avoid trouble to begin with.

Do yourselves a favor and check out Krav Maga, if it's available in your area.

Hebrew for "contact combat," Krav Maga is the Isreali Defense Force hand-to-hand fighting discipline.

I have seen some guys demonstrate Krav Maga, and would love to study it, but not available anywhere within a hundred miles of here. I did not know what the name means, I thought Krav Maga meant "stomp and kick the sh!t out of your fellow man." Very impressive stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by MMM:
I have seen some guys demonstrate Krav Maga, and would love to study it, but not available anywhere within a hundred miles of here. I did not know what the name means, I thought Krav Maga meant "stomp and kick the sh!t out of your fellow man." Very impressive stuff.

Then why don't you just find a boxing club and study boxing. It will make you a better man.

http://www.boxingarts.com/

because of personal exper. and beliefs,,,I am interested in something totally defensive in nature,,and for my 10 yr. old girl the same,,,,judo,,akido??

I studied Chayon-Ryu undeer Grand Master Kim http://kimsookarate.com/

his methodology was tourneyments had to be clean, fought safely, and incontrol .. some of the other schools didn't like all the "rules" and would fight to hurt, rather than point.

I really enjoyed pointing

Akido is very defensive oriented. They do not teach any significant offensive techniques until first black belt, so it very easy for kids to get bored with it.

For close in defence work, Muay Tai is very practical. It's very easy to adapt to if you have experinece with other methods, and could be a good follow-on after they have learned a sport type style.

quote:

Originally posted by Panzerschmied:
because of personal exper. and beliefs,,,I am interested in something totally defensive in nature,,and for my 10 yr. old girl the same,,,,judo,,akido??

That icon after you comment, the unhappy face with the question marks, is called, quite appropriately, "confused" - which you certainly seem to be - and studying a martial art, any martial art, will only leave you more confused.

Study boxing. It will make you a better person. Read: http://www.boxingarts.com/

: : :

much can be learned by studing the three stooges - such things as the eye poke, nut kick, throat stomp, and head slap are easily absorbed

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
much can be learned by studing the three stooges - such things as the eye poke, nut kick, throat stomp, and head slap are easily absorbed

Now it's called Ultimate Fighting!

I was going to ask if being married three times qualifies as being a marital artist.

Jim

My son and I took TKD and got our brown belts together. It is a great experience and builds character with the right instructor. We were fortunate and had 2 ex-marines and they also taught us combat techniques as we became more advanced. One word of advice I have to you is to pay tuition in installments and not all at once. Kids get discouraged and quit and schools close, both resulting in loss of money.

I have studied MooGooGaiPanTOGO...but unless it is very hot, throwing it at an attacker does nothing.
My martial art is a Hornady Critical Defense bullet. Gang Bang this Latifa.....