Maybe Shu knows.

Have any ATA members ever competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials? If they have how did they do?

Maybe Shu knows.

Have any ATA members ever competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials? If they have how did they do?

yeah, seriously...

anyone of my blue belts could kick the living hell out of an ATA black belt...

Just join Trubble for some Mario Yamasaki fun.

Trubble if you do go to that gym can you get me a Mario Yamasaki autograph? I love that guy... even if he did miss that groin shot in Hughes vs Trigg 2...

i believe he teaches at the rockville location... the instructor who teaches the one nearest me is Mr. Jacobs.

Black Belt - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
2005 International Masters Seniors Bronze Medalist - Black Belt Featherweight
2005 Pan American Bronze Medalist - Brown Belt Adult Featherweight
2005 Grappler's Quest Beast of the East - Brown Belt Lightweight Champion
2005 Grappler's Quest USA Team Trials Tournament Silver Medalist - Pro Division Lightweight
2004 Grappler's Quest USA Team Trials Tournament Bronze Medalist - Pro Division Lightweight
2000 Pan American Silver Medalist - Blue Belt Master Lightweight
1999 Pan American Silver Medalist - Blue Belt Master Lightweight
5X Grapplers' Quest Advanced Division No Gi Champion
Referee of numerous submission wrestling and jiu-jitsu tournaments
Division I wrestler

pretty damn good resume if you ask me

Maybe Shu knows.

Have any ATA members ever competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials? If they have how did they do?

I know of one personally, Cory Hill from my region. I believe he made pretty high up there. I have also heard of a few other guys doing decent to moderately well at the trials, but I haven't met them.

Some of the guys at my instructor's school talked with Mr. Hill about the difference of ATA sparring and Olympic sparring. (I myself went to a 2 hour Olympic sparring session with non-ATA schools aroudn Michigan). He thinks pretty much the same thing I do. The contact is no big deal, but it is damn near impossible to score with punches in that style of sparring.

I agree with Crowe that most ATAers can't handle heavy contact (and I agree, some of the teens and guys in their 20s can handle their stuff, but I am seeing more pussies coming into the divisions). Maybe it is just my region. I have been told that we seem to hit harder and allow more contact than other areas.

Would anyone know of a website that has a listing of all the Olympic Trial competitors and where they ranked?


yeah, seriously...

anyone of my blue belts could kick the living hell out of an ATA black belt

O RLY?

YES really... we've had a few transfers who got thoroughly annihlated.... although i will give it the benefit of the doubt that their instructor sucked ass... and i can't say either way how well you train your students, but the ATA schools in my area suck ass... and sorry to say, it's stereotyping at work.

YES really... we've had a few transfers who got thoroughly annihlated.... although i will give it the benefit of the doubt that their instructor sucked ass... and i can't say either way how well you train your students, but the ATA schools in my area suck ass... and sorry to say, it's stereotyping at work.

Fair enough.

It seems nowadays the ATA wants to train martial hobbists rather than martial artists.


I went to an ATA instructor camp around the Virgina area (not sure how far that region extends and if it hits D.C.), but it did have some of the most pathetic excuses for black belts I have ever seen.

Team Yamasaki, that's nice, I train at one of their affiliated schools in Sweden

martial hobbiest, that's a good word for it... having found BJJ and MT and being able to actively practice what is taught in a real life situation brings a new meaning to why we train... some people say it's for weightloss or fitness or self defense... but in reality, TKD is none of that... it's a sport, like soccer, or football, or anything else... there's no "self defense" whatsoever in it... so many of my TKD friends have had their ass kicked in street fights, so that to me, is ineffective. why am i still in it? because it's fun... what other reason should i give?

BJJ... ground... MT... standing... TKD... amusement

martial hobbiest, that's a good word for it... having found BJJ and MT and being able to actively practice what is taught in a real life situation brings a new meaning to why we train... some people say it's for weightloss or fitness or self defense... but in reality, TKD is none of that... it's a sport, like soccer, or football, or anything else... there's no "self defense" whatsoever in it... so many of my TKD friends have had their ass kicked in street fights, so that to me, is ineffective. why am i still in it? because it's fun... what other reason should i give?

MT and BJJ are a sport. Granted, they have better sparring rules which allow for better cross-over into "real" fights. But the arts are still sports. I agree that TKD, or any martial art, should be taught to teach people how to fight, but I don't see a problem with taking the martial arts for the secondary benefits such as weight loss, fitness, or self-confidence. Just so long as the standards are not watered down.

I am not sure what you mean by "actively practicing what is taught in a real life situation". Nothing about weight lifting, cardio conditioning, hitting targets/pads/bags, or even sparring is a "real life" situation. They are methods to practice what you are taught and to improve on what you learn. I have been in a few "confrontations" and they are nothing like a sparring match.

I agree though that the state of TKD is sad. I would like to see TKD to be one of those arts that are considered respectable when one looks at stand-up striking arts. But there is a lot of work to be done.

get rid of the beauracracy :)...

I prefer a strong central "government" or HQ. It is just some of the bull **** ideologies in the ATA that need to go.

well, the WTF is a centralized federation who allow individual federations and single clubs to join... each federation/club has their own structure, but in the end, they all report to the same governing body, which in turn reports to the kukkiwon.

Dude,
I feel you , I too was a deluded ATA guy, But look , all martial arts aren't bad and the ATA has given you a good enough foundation in the basics that with a good Karate instructor you will fly through the ranks as you learn the Kata and priniples andyou should soon be near your current rank so as to cause no loss of face.Most good instructors under stand the "TKD Problem" and as long as you are not an ass to them will be happy to help you ,
If I can be of any help finding one let me know
John

well, the WTF is a centralized federation who allow individual federations and single clubs to join... each federation/club has their own structure, but in the end, they all report to the same governing body, which in turn reports to the kukkiwon.

I know nothing of WTF or kukkiwon politics, how things are structured, or any thing else in regards to their internal workings, so I can't comment.

The problem with the ATA isn't how it is organized. The problem is that 1) There are a couple high ranking memebers in the organization who are in positions of power and like the monies and come up with faulty logic and poor arguments to explain the watering down of the system and 2) The ATA tries so hard to make sure everyone is happy, they forgot where it's fucking balls are.

If nothing else, this thread reconfirms everything I think about the ATA. Thank you very much for the in-depth info, however. Interesting stuff (and by interesting, I mean vomit-inducing).

It's sad how a martial art can go in fourty years from fairly well respected to being represented by something like this. Hope BJJ takes much longer.