What defines a Martial artist? (Taekwondo)

I made another video this time alot shorter on my sentiments on Taekwondo/Hapkido Self-defense. hopefully this will make points clearer in
my arguement. I do understand that some of you may not agree with the definition I have of martial arts, but I want people to understand that taekwondo is not necessarily the best way to go when defending yourself.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7ZGVYjt4sg"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7ZGVYjt4sg[/ame]

 

I lasted about 3 minutes. So... You introduced your friend to your TKD school, and then realised it wasn't "legit" and wanted to get him out? And based on this you have decided all TKD systems are bad for self defence, whether they be ITF, WTF something else that train with a complete different methodology and mindset to yours? Wow.

 

Yes MMA gyms drill techniques, they use the same techniques distancing and timing they will face in competition and sparring. Power and speed maybe reduced at the beginning but typically what you are asked to deal with is what you will face in competition

If you are drilling using false distancing and techniques you will not face in sparring and competition then that training isn’t very useful from a sports context, and if you are drilling against techniques distancing and timing you won’t typically face in a self defence situation then that isn’t very useful from a self defence point of view

I think the question shouldn’t be which is better for self defence, but which school would you send someone to to learn how to fight properly?
Personally if someone said they wanted to learn self defence TKD or MMA wouldn't be my first choice, but if they wanted to learn to fight TKD wouldn’t be my first choice again based on my experience with the art.

 

The obvious nuance which you have missed is that whether I am or am not I tend to not think about it or self identify in that manner and people who state they are (martial artists) generally do so with a different qualitative emphasis than 'I do X as a hobby so I am Y'. They are generally looking to portray and embody a certain identity and to have others recognise and respect them for it.

 

Utter rubbish.

 

For feedback, I watched for just over 6 mins.

So you concluded that TKD (the entire martial art devised by General Choi) is useless for self-defense based upon your 15 years at a school that mostly studied the forms component of the art. Why did you wait 15 years if you were looking for more practical application of skills? I honestly think it's bad form on your part to slur any martial art, based upon what I perceive as limited exposure.

To completely counter your "it's all about forms" argument, at the school I attend, at the weekend there was a special 3 hour squad training session containing technique drills and 90 minutes of continuous sparring. On Monday, 45 minutes of patterns tuition. Tuesday, 1 hour of technique practice, followed by 90 minutes of senior grade sparring. Last night, 1 hour shields and floppy pads followed by 1 hour of senior grade points sparring. So within just a few days, that's 45 minutes of patterns, approx 3.5 hours of techniques and 4 hour of "light->medium" contact sparring.

The result is I'm battered and bruised from taking kicks and punches from very capable senior grades and black belts, and I'm reasonably sure I dished some of that out to others. My feet and legs are MASHED this morning, tbh every muscle is aching, but this is no complaint; it's what I've come to expect from our training sessions.

So I really cannot agree with you that TKD is somehow non-legit, nor that TKD students cannot become competent martial artists; and I'm reasonably certain that skills I'm learning can be useful on the street (I hope to never find out). Finally, when I gain my black belt, I certainly won't feel that I've obtained it simply due to time attended! I'll have worked hard for that.

I agree with aaradia, you'd be better off if your videos focused on the benefits of your current training system, in order to persuade others to join. Bashing other MA's isn't the way to go IMO, but hey, they're your videos.

 

Well your experience may vary but I can only speak to mine.

 

I actually agree that people who self-identify as "martial artists" are often trying to plug into a set of preconceptions. I know I was. And I've known many other people, over the past 30 years, who clearly were too. It's not surprising really. Self-identity often works like that. When you say "I'm a... " you're often setting it up as a defining characteristic of some sort. Whereas I shifted to saying "I train in martial arts." Then you're emphasizing the activity rather than the label. You're still plugging into those preconceptions somewhat, but it feels (to me) like less of a proclamation. I am martial artist; hear me roar.

As an activity, it holds an appropriate place amongst various other activities. Cooking, reading, etc. It's not some defining characteristic that sets me apart from other people. I'm not a man apart. I'm just a guy that spent a fair few years learning a martial art.

 

Unless you are trying to state you are something (or have something) special. And you decide to further your view to go as far as to bash other styles.


Note: Not you-ap...speaking in terms of another party

 

Yeah, I figured MM. No worries.

 

I think you're being too modest.
I look around at the world. The lazy people, the people that settle for a "meh" life. Content with not pushing themselves.
To me the discipline, mental application, persistence and other qualities needed to get anywhere in martial arts are something to be proud of and something that sets that person apart (not saying martial arts is the only thing that needs that).
It doesn't make you some sort of super human or anything but I think there's something about the martial arts (when done properly and with integrity) that is genuinely transformative.

 

Completely agree. I think it has to do with confronting your ego and your frailty and constantly putting yourself and your status to an extent on the line; as well as physical catharsis etc. It's really looking at the truth of yourself. I think referring to yourself as a martial artist however is the opposite in most instances. The process has far more value than the moniker.

 

Well... It has the capacity to anyway.

 

What is MA? On a physical level, a set of skills used to kill, incapacitate and otherwise overcome and/or defend yourself from an enemy.

 

That's because I used to be very into taekwondo and supported it whole-heartedly until I disobeyed my instructor by looking into other martial arts and realized how terrible my hands were and how bad my wrestling was. I knew that deep down in my heart something was wrong with the style I had learned because I couldn't fight off a boxer or wrestler. There were things building up inside me but I ignored it and people looked up to me to teach them Taekwondo which is why I made tutorials. However, my perspective has changed for the better and I used to think just as many of you have but always knew that I would get my butt handed by a professional fighter, boxer, or wrestler. Someone who didn't know what they were doing? I could probably hold my own. But I grew tired of punching the air. I didn't want to teach something that I thought wasn't going to work. Yes, 540 kicks, 720 kicks, ect are all cool and look good to watch, but I don't want to live in a fantasy world which is what taekwondo portrays. I'm sorry if I come across as disrespecful, but Taekwondo compared to other martial arts in my experience has let me down quite a bit.

And if you look at the date of the videos, I haven't uploaded a single forms or technique video for a while.

 

Dude don't use the K word! It troubles the sleeping trolls and brings them out. I can already hear stirring and and muttering "Mystical death poke" .

 

Or Knife, chokehold, brain trauma - you know..... things that do actually kill people rather than exist in D&D