More of a sport than a martial art?

I certainly think it is the best one out there! I certainly hope so.

I think it would be, in fact I hope it would be. The whole "I'd take them down" kind of attitude I hope is a façade. The application for me would hopefully be if a stupid, drunken guy wouldn't accept that I didn't want to fight him.

I will go and check out the class I found, hopefully it will go well! It is a bit of travel to get to either and I don't drive but there are a few classes more local. I will check out the link now, thanks!

 

I'll keep looking try to get the best deal (as a student the price as well as location is pretty important!) and it doesn't hurt to have options so that if one club doesn't work then I can keep trying others. Thanks for all your help, it is really appreciated!

 

It's mostly tradition how rules are implemented. Some ITF is full contact but it's rare.

For sure, most Taekwondo guys prefer kicks over punches, but that's not to say you can't excel as a point fighter with your hands. I like using my fists in sparring equally to kicks. I can divide it 50/50.

 

More of a sport? No I don't think so. I study ITF and I think it can be what you want it to be regarding defense. ITF allows kicks and punches to mid and upper areas. At the last comp I went to there was a KO in upper grades from a spinning 360; the guy didn't see it coming.

Foremost it needs to be fun for you.

You say you are tall but how tall are you? I'm 6'2" and height is an advantage in terms of punch and leg reach. It's a disadvantage for speed but training hard minimises the differences... I need to train harder!

Weight isn't a worry. You'll become fitter and you'll lose weight when you combine the exercise with calorie control (talk to your instructor, they might create a weight-loss programme for you). Don't put it off, get started now!

There are many competitions around the UK and actually these are good for you - you'll spar against people who'll come at you unpredictably and you'll gain experience from that. Sparring is separated by grade and weight, so normally the contact levels and experience levels have some degree of parity.

Oh and nothing wrong with running away from a street situation- this is to do with evaluating the odds and making the right choice. It's good to be alive at the end of each day.

Enjoy your MA!

 

Class. Save the 1 on 1 until you know specifically you need to focus on. Class is great due to the range of people you'll partner with; each of them helping you in many different ways.

BTW I'm also non-violent. Was only ever in 1 scrap way back at school lol, and even now I back away from confrontation. Totally enjoy sparring in the dojang or at competitions though, and that's the way it should be imo. Bit like racing a car - best done on a track rather than around the streets, although you're well prepared if for some reason it's required

 

I think I'll try to be like you, 50/50 - it'd be pretty lame if I'd injured my leg(s) and was rendered practically useless. That being said, I've got to admit that the kicks in TKD are pretty cool.

Unfortunately the school nearby is WTF (I think) so it won't be quite as full on (again, I think). I would've liked to see that KO. There is one on YouTube where a guy goes in for a kick and gets one to the head himself, I'd have been pretty proud being that fast if I were that guy.

Yours was a particularly useful reply since I'm 6ft 2 as well so it's nice to know someone specifically the same height doing well. I will definitely have to train hard, I figure that it would be a disadvantage for speed but my armspan is about two inches above than my height and my legs are long even for my height (i.e. I'm a disproportionate freak haha) so I suppose both of those things will make up for the disadvantage.

Due to financial reasons, I can't start for another few weeks but after the advice I've had on this forum, I won't wait a second longer than I have to.

Yes, I'm thinking I misunderstood what the guy meant when he recommended 1on1. I was never in a fight at school, I think my height and broad shoulders did me a big favour in that respect!

 

Wtf schools that compete should practice full contact sparring. Just beware the scoring lower the use of hand techniques in competition. A good school should still work all hand and foot techniques on pads though
On size: I'm 6 ft 2 and 245 lb and have done well in competition over the years. You'll be able to work yourself in to shape. In my experience group classes can also be a motivating factor for people as well. Go check out some classes see what fits you best. Most schools will offer a trial class

 

As PASmith and Mitch pointed out one of the best 'self defense' programs is a regular fitness regimen. And the absolute best form of exercise program as 'one you will stick with'. So find a place you like, go there regularly, work hard, and you'll be good to go.

 

I didn't know WTF schools practiced there hand techniques on pads? I tried a KKW school and while I had a GREAT workout and had lots of fun, I was put off by the nature of training. Leg work was great, however the only hand tech practice we had(outside of the basic line drills) was during step sparring, and I think they only did one steps, however, I may be wrong as it was only one class.

 

The most important thing that was said, for me concerning SD, was " I am not a violent person". That is where I would suggest to begin. Violent people don't need any style of martial art or training to be effective. So I would suggest either cultivating violent intent somehow and putting thAt intent into whatever training you do at the correct opportunity or genuinely realising that a lack of violent intent will go against you. The truth is that however you end up having to defend yourself, you have to be more violent, more intense and anearobicaly fitter than the person attacking you. It's chaotic and messy and any technique you do has to be done in this chaotic timeframe.

For fun and enjoyment and general fitness, lots of styles will do including TKD.

For SD, TKD is more difficult and confusing to incorporate IMO than some other styles due to the amount of difference things covered some of which is useless outside of TKD, a concentration on performing to a set curruculum for belt gradings and lack of realistic drills/ sparring/ fighting and a lack of real world experience by those teaching. Of course there are exceptions.

I have heard high grades say they believe that some patterns and moves within them are useless and that they themselves mainly do heavy pad and bagwork and spar and just do patterns and step sparring because it's in the art of TKD. My guess is alot in TKD know this but it's difficult to stand up and say this or ,for low grades who do not have real world experience as a reference , they have to trust higher grades who at times also have no experience.

 

In my time at WTF it did not encompass boxing. Two weeks could pass and we did at most a kata. The rest being kicking on pads and overall training for kicking, sparring, etc. Schools which attempt to merge WTF traditions with a more balanced training will include both. But those are likely the product of former ITFers.

 

Some instructors focus on Olympic sparring to the exclusion of other functional attacks. A good well rounded school should have a diverse range of techniques that are practiced.

 

I strictly agree with you friend that the TKDs kicks are awesome and the application of physics in TKD is so remarkable. I have learned many things from this Forum in this week.

 

In sparring I kick their stomach, regardless if they manage to block it or not their hands go down→and I punch him/her in the face. I have done that pattern half a dozen times.

if they attack I turn around and do a jumping back kick to the stomach