What Can You Add/Remove & Still Call It TKD?

I agree but I'm thinking in terms of advanced step sparring where I can make up combinations and get creative. Often I find "Whoops, I'm too close" or "The opening I thought would be there disappeared."
So, I see value in step sparring for beginners when they need to visualize basic attacks and defenses with a real partner, and for advanced students who are experimenting. Those in the middle get bored.

 

@VZ
its not really simulating any fighting scenario, its providing people with a controlled chance to see the weaknesses of each move, to see how they can be applied.

its really more about familiarizing yourself with he movement's uses.

 

why not just spar?

 

Not to get into the whole discussion as to the benefits or not of step-sparring, but just to say, Master dew would have learnt that way as that is the way General Choi layed it out. No free sparring until blue belt - so his instructor was simply following what was layed down by the General.

Most clubs dont follow this rule these days obvioulsy, but thats how it was/is layed out!

Stuart

 

Because free sparring is there to teach a different/advanced set of skills than step sparring IMO.

I wasnt gonna give my opinion here, but seeing as Im up I thought why not. My thoughts on step-sparring are the following (bear in mind Im refering to it done properly, not the punch then block 3 seconds later type):

3 step is simply to help the student learn about themselves and perfroming techniques (themselves). its asically pattern moves with something to hit!

2 step is designed to teach students to combine hand and foot attacks.

1 step is design to be closer to SD and follow the '1 strike one kill' principles (though Im not saying I agree with them) and to force students to react quickly and counter-attack intutietivly with speed, to vital spots etc. Advanced one step allows for the 'dam, that didnt work factor' to be trained as well, plus counter countering techniques to be applied.

Foot Sparring is to encourage more use of the legs for blocking and counter attacking

-- all of the above, once practiced with the 'set' movements that most orgs define, should be abled to be practiced without 'set' movements as well. 3 step becomes void once a student has a good handle on techniques. 2 step can be useful for mixing stuff up and trying out hand/foot combinations, but also largely becomes irrelevant once a good grasp of free sparring allows you to do the same, however, 3 7 2 steps are 'baby steps' which is why they are at yellow and green belt levels on the syllabus!

Free Sparring - is for fighting (or for most clubs competition). Technically its not meant to be introduced until blue belt, when a student is suppose to have better techniques as well as decent control.

Hosinsul - is the middle ground between one-step type stuff (ie. seeing something before it takes hold and countering it) and free Sparring ( when its all gone to crap and you have to trade blows).

Stuart

 

There is some good value in step sparring imo if it is taught & trained as an alive drill, not the phony make believe pose like a model way that may actually be more harmful than good

 

The benefits of 3 step and 2 step you describe can easily be attained via sparring or sparring like practice. And 1 step sort of can be and you'd be sparring then anyway.

 

3 step sparring is an exercise that teaches distance
2 step sparring is an exercise that teaches familarity & coordination of hand & foot attacks & defenses
1 step sparring is an exercise that teaches one to be aware of any initial attack, utilizing any attacking tool from whatever distance the attacker deems approriate, to help simulate actual combat, but just the initial blow & 1 focused counter
Free sparring is essentially an open combat that utilizes any available weapon for both attack & defense, under as realiztic conditions as possible. This is correctly introduced at blue belt level in the ITF syllabus & is not to be confused with tournament sport rules match fighting

 

Good question! The answer is I think that if you want to just learn how to fight, you should do just that & a lot of it, along with learning about the tools to attack & defend. However & I am only speaking of ITF TKD, it is about more than just SD. There are other stated goals & hopefully other benefits to be gained from adopting the entire system. But if one wants to learn effective street combat, there are more efficient ways to get there, 2 different things, with some overlap, only the consumer can decide what they seek

 

Foot technique sparring is intorduced at BB level, to promote use of the feet & pay homage to Taek Kyon, while hoosinsul is introduced at red belt level & is where all the throws, joint locks, releases, grabs, wrestling & mat work comes in

 

Yes of course, but they are within the context of a larger system, which may not be the best or most efficient way to develop what you may be seeking, but I can assure you that few know or do step sparring the way Gen Choi outlined it. We do not do it like most MAs do

 

Not in the large organisations I've been in, it hasn't

 

Sorry, but I disagree. Basically they are controlled ways to reach a certain goal, in free sparring, if the oppoenent is all over you then you wont eb able to practice that.. of course you could also place controls on free-sparring, but then its not truely free-sparring is it!

I recall someone on here talking of an MMA club they train at, where the guys were great grapplers, but we not so good withkicks and punches. the reason being is because they free sparred all the time, and most MMA free sparring ended in clinches and take downs and therefore they werent really getting time to isolate and practice their kicking and punching!

Stuart

 

Tis in my club.. along with 'traditional Sparring'

Stuart

 

Yes I do realize that many do not more fully follow the Encyclopedia & that can be some what of a problem, when one only picks & chooses only what they want & do not fully study all the particualrs that make the Art more complete, but all are free to do as they wish

 

No i was commenting on how taekwon-do used to be taught, citing a person who began his training in the late 60's.