my old question.
"well i recently moved and i cant get any rides to my old tkd dojang since its too far away, so i tried to find a new one rite next my house. With huge letters it says "ATA Black belt academy" i noticed alot of ppl talk trash about ATA and i have no idea what that is... so before i join and waste my money i have a question: what is ATA? is it like WTF, and ITF?"

a new one....
ok since many of u guys tipped me not to go to an ATA TKD. with hard effort i managed to find a dojang thats even closer to my house and is WTF style TKD. thanks u guys, and i didnt even kno ATA used ITF... which is not the style i was thaught in anyway again thanks!

well i recently moved and i cant get any rides to my old tkd dojang since its too far away, so i tried to find a new one rite next my house. With huge letters it says "ATA Black belt academy" i noticed alot of ppl talk trash about ATA and i have no idea what that is... so before i join and waste my money i have a question: what is ATA? is it like WTF, and ITF?

Be affraid, be very affraid. Nah just kidding but ATA is famous for McDojoism. I recommend you use this sites search engine and look up ATA,

Be affraid, be very affraid. Nah just kidding but ATA is famous for McDojoism. I recommend you use this sites search engine and look up ATA,


Sharkonis is right. I'd be a little afraid here. They appear to be nothing more than a franchising network similar to Martial Arts America. These type of organizations are notorius for McDojo type activities (Rigid long term contracts, underqualified instructors, etc.).

I could not find a WTF, ITF or USATaeKwonDo logo anywhere on the website. Who is thier governing and certifying body? From what I can gather, it's themselves.

They also have the dreaded Camo Belt.

Fast food for Martial Artists IMO.:bduh:


Of course the only way to know for sure is to check them out. Good luck and keep training.

I'd just go and observe, you're already experienced in TKD and can judge the quality for yourself. Like any school it's going to be dependent on who's instructing (and does that person do all of it, or is there juniors teaching as well etc).

The ATA started in 69 as the American ITF (before WTF was founded and the KKW built). As such it started with Ch'ang Hon forms and similar thrust. In 83 they made the Songahm forms and have used those ever since. The ITA, USTA, HTF and a few others are offshoots from the ATA so if you've seen one of those they will be similar.

There are great schools, there are crap schools. Marketing is used extensively, very much the epitome of McDojahng (not saying they won't kick your ass, just saying they'll ask if you want a gear bag with that order).

Almost all of the schools will have contracts, not saying that's bad, just saying to read the thing and make sure it has good escape clauses (1-2 month termination fees or the like), and offers you something of value as well. One thing they generally tend to give you is the knowledge that the school will still be there 6 months from now (MA schools pop up and disappear often).

From your spelling of TKD I'm guessing WTF background? If so you'll find the sparring quite different as it's tag/point sparring, start/stop type with less contact. The hands are used much more extensively to block rather than the arms down WTF approach.

Drop in, they're bound to have a 'month free' trial period you could use to see if it's worth your time.

Don't go to the school. Don't even walk into it for a free trial.

ATA is notorious for teaching nothing and taking your money. Period. You could say the whole "yeah there's good schools and bad schools like any other system" but thats wishful optimistic thinking, and your common sense and wallet don't have the luxury of you being an idiot.

http://www.bullshido.net/modules.php?name=Reviews&file=viewarticle&id=263

or

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=45468

Notes from a 4th Dan in ATA TKD.

Why not just substitute TKD for ATA there EternalRage?

ATA is one of the reasons TKD gets crap on this forum.

Why not just substitute TKD for ATA there EternalRage?


Because he is right. ATA has ruined TKD, people getting BB's in two years, camo belts, and all that ****.

Why not just substitute TKD for ATA there EternalRage?

Because good TKD fighters like Lukasz Juras, Serkan Yilmaz, Stephen Bonner, and Park Yong Soo make the system work well.

Don't try and turn it into a "ETERNALRAGE HATES TEH TKD" thread, because that's not what I'm saying.

ATA is garbage.

Asbestos cup installed. I did post a reply to:

http://www.bullshido.net/modules.php?name=Reviews&file=viewarticle&id=263

I'd like to think I'm one of the exceptions, but I'm sure I'll hear all of my faults shortly heh. I don't have any illusions about much of what goes on with some of those schools, and I do understand guilt by association or being judged the same because of the same uniform etc.
I'm in the same frame of mind as Shu2jack and a few others, this thing is what we make it be.

Because he is right. ATA has ruined TKD, people getting BB's in two years, camo belts, and all that ****.



Lets all join together here with a Great Big Amen Brother ! On a more serious note however, what Oldman speaks is sublime truth.

Bottom line is this xxmarkpark, ATA for the most part has belts and titles for sale. Not to say that all ATA affilate schools do, but the five I have infiltrated over the years do.

You sound young xxmarkpark, do not be captured by fancy demo teams and the promise of rank in a short time. FInd a school or system that rewards meritte, hard work and skill.

Not one that awards for money.

What is the ATA? Plz clarify for you?

The ATA is the King of the McDojos! It is quite possibly the largest steaming pile of **** to call itself a martial art that I've ever seen. I've heard tell that there are actually good ATA schools out there. Well that may be true, but 1 good school does not make up for 100 shitty ones no matter how good the 1 is.

...how did she do it wtf??? giving out free black belts... what ever happened to traditional hard core TKD?... businesses and greedy asshole masters made tkd a disgrace to our korean culture...


Thats what happens when you go for quantity over quality.

I also have a theory ....that when a dojo/dojang starts to slow down where new enrollments are concerned they may pull some **** like this to get into the papers or on the news for the free publicity.

I mean here you have a 6yr old 2nd dan. Now Mrs. Soccer Mom sees this and thinks well if this little girl can do it then my little angel would have no problem. And after they sign up and all the fees are paid for and the kid realizes that they may have to actually do work to pass a test they want to quit ...but guess what they can't ......why


THEY SIGNED A FUCKING CONTRACT ..........

So

...how did she do it wtf??? giving out free black belts... what ever happened to traditional hard core TKD?... businesses and greedy asshole masters made tkd a disgrace to our korean culture...


Thats what happens when you go for quantity over quality.

I also have a theory ....that when a dojo/dojang starts to slow down where new enrollments are concerned they may pull some **** like this to get into the papers or on the news for the free publicity.

I mean here you have a 6yr old 2nd dan. Now Mrs. Soccer Mom sees this and thinks well if this little girl can do it then my little angel would have no problem. And after they sign up and all the fees are paid for and the kid realizes that they may have to actually do work to pass a test they want to quit ...but guess what they can't ......why


THEY SIGNED A FUCKING CONTRACT ..........

So the school gets the money one way or another.

But this all just a theory.

Sorry for the double post ...mouse got stuck