Question about TKD and Hapkido

You know, Karate was never a style I thought that I would be interested in. I spent a few years checking out local schools, and never really found a place I was crazy about. One day, for some reason that escapes me now, I decided to check out a Karate dojo. I met the instructor, tried a class, and was hooked.

My instructor is the first to acknowledge the limitations of Karate as a style. It's his passion, professionalism, teaching ability, and skill that keep me there. He could teach a completely different style and I would still train with him.

I've come to realise that style is not as important for me as the instructor, fellow students, and general culture of the dojo. I've developed physically, mentally, and spiritually there. I never miss a class if I can help it, and I used to skip class all the time at other schools.

Everyone has different motivations and goals, but I would personally go with the place where the students and instructor are the better fit.

 

Go with the instructor you "click" with. The instructor--both their quality and your chemistry with them--matters a lot more in the end than what an art's strengths appear to be on paper or on average.

 

It's not a style that is better than others.
It's the way it get taught.

I started out doing Hapkido and quit that later on (great fun! I quit for others reason).
Now my main focus lies on Jiu-Jitsu (not BJJ, more Gaijin-Jitsu with roots in JJJ; it's a bit difficult here ), a style I never ever considered, because it has a rather bad reputation in another forum I am on.
But I ended up in two clubs, where I learn that (among others) and I do think it's decent taught and I love it.
It's the style of which I am sure I will stay at for the rest of forever.
I met great teachers (I knew another club right away where I could go to and learn proper JJ, and a second one with short thinking), good (and to be fair not so good) instructors on seminars.
But: I never expected to do that style, because I listened too much to people on a forum.
Now I met the for me best teachers there.

So don't focus too much on a style, but more on the instructor and the way they teach; and that it's a match where you like each other.
(Of course, if you don't want to do any groundwork, because you dislike it, don't start grappling never mind the teacher; so in that regard it's okay to take a look at styles )

 

The best place for you (general you) is a combination of a) the art b) the practices/training method c) the coach d) the culture/atmosphere e) the timetable/location f) the cost; and how those factors sit with your goals and interests.