I've recently decided to take up MA again after a long hiatus. I've been shopping for schools. I cut my teeth on ATA in the early '80s, so I looked at my local ATA branch (different from the one I went to oh, so long ago). I was disappointed by the following: There's a giant sign out front that says "SuperKarate". I talked to an instructor about getting my son involved and he kept mentioning Karate: 'You gotta do x if you wanna do Karate". I decided against that school as I wasn't impressed with the quality of their multitude of blackbelts. I looked in the phone book and found that another TKD school used Karate in their name. Karate America Tae Kwon Do. What gives? Do the schools use this for brand appeal? Did Japan and Korea have a giant merger I missed? Any help on this topic would be appreciated.
oh i know wut you mean i hate when they advertise tkd as karate and i hate when ppl say tkd and karate our the same thing and there NOT! i dont know why they do it but maybe cuz "karate" sticks out and will give out attention instead of tae kwon do. i guess karate is used so many times its what ppl are use to. i think its for brand appeal and no.. i highly DOUBT japan and Korea had a merger.
I know that as Taekwondo was spreading out and becoming popular in the 70's and 80's, many owners used the word "Karate" or "Korean Karate" because of the name recognition that "karate" already had in the western world. I think that it is not as prominant today but I do know that many TKD dojangs have "Karate" in their name and on their signs. Also, for a while, many people who would become "Taekwondo" artists were called in Korean "Kong Soo Do" artists, the Korean word for "Karate" and many of the founders of "modern" TKD have(had) backgrounds and such in Karate (especially Shotokan). Eventually in Korea, that word has been weeded out, mainly for nationalistic tastes. Personally, as much as it bothers me as well, I'd like to say to go and check out a few lessons at each school and try to find the one that fits you, regardless of the name on the sign. I know I've looked cross-eyed at some TKD places that offer "Korean Karate" but I didn't hesitate to peek in through the windows. If I were looking for a school, I'd just go in anyway and try it (and eevn ask the instructor about it).
Thanks, Thomas. A rose by any other name, eh? I will not let the use of the word Karate taint my opinion. Thanks for the advice. E
Thomas is dead on. I seem to see it in the 'older' TKD dojangs that are still open after 25-30 years.
u know i havent been on in a hot minute so i am going to put my 2 cenct in. i have seen that olny ata school do that "karate america" stuff and im just wondering what kwan is ata?
The ATA runs a program for children, called Karate for Kids. It's still taekwondo, but the Karate for Kids name is apparently more marketable. I asked a TKD instructor once why the sign on the front of his building said KARATE, rather than TAEKWONDO. His reason...? Too many leters in TAEKWONDO for his sign. I know a few ATA guys in South Dakota. Matt White
I hope I haven't offended. I had a wonderful time with ATA in Yankton, SD years ago. If you know of anyone from Yankton ATA circa 1983-85, I'd be interested.
I believe the "Karate America" group of schools is owned by Master William Clark out of Florida. The ATA is an independent organization from the WTF and ITF. They practice forms exclusive to the organization, and a style referred to Songahm Taekwondo.
Not a problem... I'm not easily offended. Most of the guys I know are in the Sioux Falls area, and only one would have been around at that time - Master Larry Hoover. I started my TKD training in '84, but have only been with the ATA the last 7 years. Matt White
Well... I know Master Hoover is an exceptional martial artist, and an excellent instructor. I've attended his annual black belt work-outs for a number of years, and had an opportunity for him to personally coach me through some issues on my form. That said, I've not ever been to his school, or any of his classes - so I can't speak of the environment, or the program. About the best advice I can offer is, if you are thinking of attending, observe a class, and ask if you can try a few classses. If I were in the area, I would definitely see if Master Hoover's school was a good fit for me.
TKD and Karate Tae Kwon Do's history has been erased by the Korean government. TKD did originate from karate (Kara-Te a generic Japanese term for fighting, as is Kenpo/Kempo). Japan occupied Korean for a while. During that time the Okinawans taught the Koreans karate. The koreans had many names for it. Eventually the Koreans wanted to unify the styles and names after the Japanese occupation ended. TKD was born. But the Korean government had other plans. They wanted to 'disarm' the people. So they made TKD a national sport and took out the real world fighting aspects. Many of the Korean masters who learned from the Japanese wanted to differentiate from the sport so they added back some of the original names. Anyway, I had the great fortune of learning TKD/Karate from a Korean grandmaster. It was NON-sporting TKD but the classes where taught in Japanese, just like how he learned it. He, like so many other before him, viewed it all the same. It was fighting. Koreans called in Tae Kwon Do and the Japanese called it Karate. It was ever evolving. Once you reached a certain point in your training you made it your own. Disclaimer: The history is gone, but this was what I was taught by an old Korean master. Many other masters may have a different version or perspective. This is just one.
Our Instructor has been teaching since 1974, and he never used the word "Karate" in his literature. He always differentiated between Karate and Tae Kwon Do, because he was proud of Tae Kwon Do and never saw it as simply Korean Karate. Also, he was Korean and never used "Karate" as a marketing ploy to appeal to Americans. He just explained what TKD was as best he could, which usually ended up being hours of basic kicking, forms, and sparring.
Probably differs on a case by case basis. Your style is Chung Do Kwan, right? One of the first kwans that grew from Shotokan... in Korean in the 60s and 70s it was probably referred to as "Kong Soo Do", meaning leterally (using the chinese characters) "Karate". In the early formation of TKD, it was essentially Shotokan karate. The development over the last 50 years has, in my humble opinion, turned it into a unique art that differs specifically from its Karate roots. It would be facinating to speak to people like your master (or see videos/books thereof) of clearly see how TKD has evolved from Karate over the past 50 years.
I've seen two new TKD schools open up in town in the last year using the moniker Karate America. I know they're affiliated with one another, but I don't know if it's a franchise. They teach TKD. I think it's disrespectful to the art. I know it has its origins in Karate, but now it's TKD. It's a marketing ploy that I don't see as necessary. In my estimation Karate, Kung Fu, and Tae Kwon Do are on equal footing as far as the general public is concerned. None of them is more recognized than the other.
I can see your point and agree. To me, it seems that today's martial arts students/parents/instructors have a great deal more resources and access to information concerning martial arts. Personally I agree that the schools should be specific in what they teach... mainly because people have better sources of information and can understand the differences better now than 25-30 years ago. Even though "Karate" is still used often as a generic term (ask my local newspaper editors who no matter how many times I tell them it's "Taekwondo" they put "Karate" in the headlines!) I think people would prefer and understand the specifics better.
i couldn't agree more. if i wanted to train karate and thus went to a karate school that actually tought taekwondo, i'd leave, because i want to train karate and not taekwondo. around here you won't find such confusing names. i also had the same problems, not mentioning that i had to teach them how the word taekwondo is written and how it is pronounced (well, i can't blame them in a way because my club is the first and only taekwondo club in the entire area).
I think this misunderstanding is because "Karate" is an easier word to learn for parents. Besides most parents that don't know a thing about MA call every MA Karate. I get angry when someone tells me that I practice Karate. I am proud to say that I practice TKD.
