Schools in Korea?

**KiwiBlack** · Posted On: 5/25/2012 1:07am

I've always heard that the country of origin teaches its martial art the best. How true is this for TKD/HKD? How do the dojangs in South Korea match up against good schools (not mcdojos) of the US?

**Sisyphus** · Posted On: 5/28/2012 9:04am

I will assume you have asked your instructor(s) this question - and their answer was?

"I've always heard that the country of origin teaches its martial art the best." Variants of this statement have been around for decades...

You have to go to the Japanese mainland to receive top-notch Judo training...

You have to go to Okinawa in order to receive top-notch karate training...

You have to go to China in order to receive top-notch (insert CMA style here) training...

So long ago I concluded logically that martial arts skills must exist in the local cuisine & water supply. Sorry I am not mocking you - I am trying to illustrate the unsupportable nature of your opening statement.

My answer is what you need to reach a superior level in an endeavor is to train at any "Centers of Excellence" which consists of quality skilled instructors, good training facilities, and a sufficient number of students with the highest performance standards possible to test and motivate you.

In the USA - if I wanted to study big time collegiate wrestling what programs should I seek out? Play big time college football or baseball at an elite level?

I want to become a champion downhill racer (skiing) where should I go to train?

Well it has to be Norway right - the cradle of skiing?
We must pay homage to 19th century Norwegian Sondre Norheim.
Not!

**Miguksaram** · Posted On: 5/29/2012 1:13pm

Originally Posted by KiwiBlack

I've always heard that the country of origin teaches its martial art the best. How true is this for TKD/HKD? How do the dojangs in South Korea match up against good schools (not mcdojos) of the US?

I believe this to be false. If we applied this to all sports, then USA would dominate baseball. The problem is that TKD/HKD in Korea is like baseball is here. You mostly see kids doing it more than adults.

However, if you were to try and compare a good TKD school in Korea to a good TKD school in US, it would break down to the little things. Which has a better teacher, better support staff, etc. There are no "secret" techniques being taught in Korea. I believe you have a better chance finding a good TKD school in the US than you would in Korea, simply because most schools over there will cater towards younger children than they would adults.

**rsobrien** · Posted On: 5/31/2012 7:33am

Probably 90% (not an exaggeration) of all TKD jangs are for kids under the age of 18. They are mostly daycare services with a dobok. Each gym has their own mini bus or van with cartoon characters printed on the sides that picks up the kids from school or their homes. If

Overall, the typical TKD gym in the US would be better then the one in Korea. If you went to a TKD gym in Korea, you wouldn't even be able to train because you are surround by kids. The guy running the place might not understand why you are even there.

However, if you wanted teh real TKD, Yongin University is the place to go. They have lots of exchange programs for students, including foreigners. People go to Yongin University to major in a sport. As in people go there and study their sport, 8 hours a day. A lot of them have Olympic dreams.

So, to answer your question, it is not exactly true. Unless you go to a sports program at a University, which in some cases would be not unlike going to an Olympic training center in the US.

**Vorpal** · Posted On: 5/31/2012 8:18am

Train Yudo, it's cheap, effective and widely availible.

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 5/31/2012 9:15am

Originally Posted by KiwiBlack

I've always heard that the country of origin teaches its martial art the best. How true is this for TKD/HKD?

One example that it is not true comes to mind; the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Arlene Limas (trained in Chicago) took the Gold Medal in TKD.
Of the twelve original masters of TKD, four went to Canada, three to the USA, two to Australia, and one each went to Germany, Italy, and The U.K.
The Korea Taekwon-Do Association sent the best they had out into the rest of the world to promote the sport. It evolved in countries outside Korea, just as well as in country.

**Miguksaram** · Posted On: 5/31/2012 9:48am

You can also look into Kyung-hee University or Korea Sports University as other possible avenues to train in TKD in Korea.

**IcemanSK** · Posted On: 6/06/2012 12:00am

Another thing that needs to go into the mix when comparing American dojang to Korean is the time they spend training. "Daycare" or not in Korea they still train 5 days a week. Whether they "feel" like it or not, that is the expectation & the norm in Korea. In the States, 9 year olds training 5 days a week is rare. Skill level (if not quality of instructoion) average would increase with more training.

**rsobrien** · Posted On: 6/07/2012 4:16am

Even if a TKD jang is training kids 5 days a week, an adult still can't train at a typical TKD jang here. TKD is usually seen as something for children, kinda like T-Ball.

Most of these kids go to TKD on days they don't go to English school, Piano lessons, Math school, Soccer, Baseball and Chinese school. It would be very rare for a parent to send a kid to TKD five days a week. The only time you would see that is if the parents feel their child is smart enough to go to academic academies, or if they want their son or daughter to go to the Olympics or something.