Why do you love taekwondo?

Discussion in 'Tae Kwon Do' started by brookieeto, Apr 19, 2014.

  1. brookieeto

    brookieeto New Member

    Okay, as you can tell by the title I absolutely adore Taekwondo.
    It makes me happy and I simply enjoy it. It gets me doing exorcise this to would never usually do.
    I go twice a week and I'm a yellow belt.
    I love how we learn our patterns and certain techniques.
    My favourite kick is the tornado kick as for me it is quite difficult but I love to learn new and exciting things that put me to a challenge.
    I love the history of taekwondo and the dobok we wear.

    So for me, I really just wanted to hear your opinions and views of Taekwondo, even if you do not practice Taekwondo or are interested in it!

    EDIT: What i mean by the history of Taekwondo is that it was used widely in the Korean war, that it has been around for over 60 years and is still going strong (even though there are many Mcdojo's around, it is atill a wonderful and talented art that has a wide range of kicks and blocks: hence it is the way of the hand and foot), it has made its way to the Olympics and is one of two martial arts which is in the Olympics.
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2014
  2. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    I love taekwondo too, truly.

    She was my first love, even though I have since moved on and drank the karate kool-aid.

    My interest these days is primarily full contact karate/kickboxing (not Muay Thai or K-1...), but my movements and techniques are - and probably always will be - very much taekwondo in nature.

    You just gotta look at the kicks. Is there any other movement quite as beautiful as that?
     
  3. Aegis

    Aegis River Guardian Admin Supporter

    Glad you're enjoying martial arts - hopefully it'll last a very long time!

    I would be wary of falling in love with TKD's history though, as it's been subject to a number of revisions since the art was founded. Even in the Olympics the BBC were referring to it as a 2,000 year old martial art, which was wrong by nearly 2,000 years. Being fascinated with an art more for its history than its application is potentially the first step on the way to disappointment, so just be careful.

    It doesn't really matter as long as you are getting what you want out of training, so keep on doing what you love!
     
  4. Earl Weiss

    Earl Weiss Valued Member

     
  5. robertmap

    robertmap Valued Member

     
  6. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    One of four at the moment - arguably five if you include fencing
     
  7. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    But the only one worth watching. :D
     
  8. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Or you could just watch this on repeat...it's not technically TKD because they use their hands more, but otherwise pretty much the same

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2XNyqrXkGM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2XNyqrXkGM[/ame]
     
  9. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    Ha ha ha :D

    You just jelly you can't kick that high or spin that fast :p
     
  10. David Harrison

    David Harrison MAPper without portfolio

    I tried to watch the TKD in the last Olympics, but just couldn't get through it.

    This on the other hand I would gladly watch on repeat! :p

    (it would be better without the guys in waistcoats though...)
     
  11. DekuTurk

    DekuTurk Valued Member

    The flexibility, the speed, the strength, the athleticism, the way of fighting, the exercises even its grapples. What else did I forget.

    Oh yeah, hwoarang
     
  12. stuckTKD

    stuckTKD Valued Member

    Nothing! Too many politics and I gave up after failing my 2nd degree over a year ago. I would love to maybe do Karate or something but the bad experience of TKD has put me off martial arts a little.
     
  13. Earl Weiss

    Earl Weiss Valued Member

    FYI Korean war ended in 1953.

    The name TKD did not exist as a name for an MA until 1954 or 1955 depending on various accounts but it's official adoption was 1955.
     
  14. Earl Weiss

    Earl Weiss Valued Member

    "Arguably" is the proper qualifier since you would first have to agree on what is or what is not a "Martial Art" .

    Not sure which you refer to but:

    Judo was designed for competition. Arguably a "Martial Sport" Which is not to say many Judoka are not well versed in "Illegal" techniques and may be great Martial Artists.

    Similarly Boxing is designed as a sport. And is also often referred to as "The Sweet Science"

    Wrestling is also more of a sport.

    I know little of fencing outside what I see in competition so I do not know if it as aspects to the discipline outside of sport / competition as does TKD.
     
  15. David Harrison

    David Harrison MAPper without portfolio

    That's a strange line of reasoning.

    Fencing, no matter what it has become, probably has more claim to roots in "teh realz" than any of the others.

    Following your train of thought, I get to a point whereby the two least effective styles for application in "teh realz" become more "martial" than the three sports that have more combat applicability :confused:
     
  16. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    It's any physical endeavour designed for physical combat - wrestling is the oldest martial art in the world followed by boxing and then probably fencing....even judo is older than TKD

    In terms of efficacy I would go Wrestler>Boxer>Judoka>TKD with fencing being an anomaly. So if "fighting" is your measure TKD comes up short and Frankly TKD fails your definition too
     
  17. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    I would argue definitions - and even efficacy - are determined by the individual, not the style.

    Earl, you say judo is (essentially) a martial sport, but what if a judoka trains exclusively for self-defence and never competes?

    Hannibal, you place TKD last in terms of efficacy but what happens when an elite taekwondo player kicks the crap out of an average boxer (quite literally)?

    I know the "it's not the style but the person" statement has been done to death, but I wanted to put that out there.
     
  18. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    True, but I am taking an "average player" approach. The 3% of pretty much any discipline will always assert their dominace

    I have no hate for TKD at all, but am nothing if not pragamtic about it - taking a clearing ground like MMA and TKD is a support art; boxing and wrestling are primary; Take "urban" confrontations and boxing dominates in terms of range/frequency

    If wrestling and boxing are "not martial arts" then TKD most certainly isn't....as i think they are and TKD is it's probably a moot point to be arguing on my part :)
     
  19. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    Cheers for the perspective :)
     
  20. Ero-Sennin

    Ero-Sennin Well-Known Member Supporter

    Can we please stop talking about impossible hypothetical situations, jeez. Even in this situation it has to be an "elite TKDer" vs. an "average" boxer. :D :p
     

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