TKD and why it does/doesn't work

HightowerAFK · Posted On: 7/14/2012 11:59pm

Originally Posted by It is Fake

Semantics. It isn't how it is applied it is how it is taught.

That's what I was looking to say just couldn't process it thank you Fake.

**Tameshiwhaty?** · Posted On: 7/15/2012 1:18am

I practice shotokan, waits for the mouths to start foaming lol, but really I think it is up to the karateka to make their training work, find a good buddy and work on alive trainng, personally I train with a goju guy from the jundokan. During class we spend alot of time on kihon and kumite and I feel I'm pretty lucky as we do go semi to full contact and most of of like to go full on. We don't wear any protectors and I have left with some bruises, I will say this sadly because we are small club and we have a few white belts we don't get alot of time on jiyyu kumite.

**wetware** · Posted On: 7/15/2012 2:55am

Originally Posted by Like Water

The thing is, this is usually not true. And even the tkd, karate schools that do spar, usually do so in low-contact, point-sparring rule sets. I don't think anyone's arguing that many of these MAs we spend a lot of time dogging on could be reasonably effective if they had more "live" application of their moves in full contact sparring (see, Kyokushin) however, I have yet to personally find a tkd or karate gym where this is how they train.

Actually... I'll see if the one my girlfriend attended still exists. I talked a bunch of **** about TKD and she kept her mouth shut for a long time. Then she asked what I was talking about and we went to observe a TKD dojo locally that does... well... what most TKD dojos do: patty cake. She was amazed. Apparently the TKD school she went to back in the day sparred and sparred hard. It was not uncommon for them to leave with black eyes and the like because they'd failed to block a strike in sparring. If it still exists, I'll have to stop in and see how it is. If it's anything like what she was talking about it'd be nice to hold up as a shining example of how it should be done.

**blackmonk** · Posted On: 7/15/2012 8:04am

I own a gym where there is a TKD program, and they spar really hard. They've also developed their own league that uses the old full-contact karate rules, so they work all the basics: keep your hands up, chin down, etc. Same stuff I do in my boxing classes, but they have all these beautiful kicks in their arsenal, as well.

My main complaint about the style is that they don't allow kicks to the legs, which I think is a huge shortcoming... They don't even have an effective way of dealing with lower-body kicks at all.

KornTheElephant · Posted On: 7/15/2012 5:31pm

At my old karate club, we were told to practice 'light' sparring, but when they paired guys against each other it was ON (because we're guys and we like to hit things Grrr.) And then they'd stop us and say "I said light contact." My old Shotokan club still got bloody noses and winded lungs (by accident) despite their safety measures. Accidents are inevitable. Karate is definitely a good MA for sparring if its done with good technique.

***battlefields*** · Posted On: 7/15/2012 5:39pm

Originally Posted by KornTheElephant

At my old karate club, we were told to practice 'light' sparring, but when they paired guys against each other it was ON (because we're guys and we like to hit things Grrr.) And then they'd stop us and say "I said light contact." Full contact is a lot more exciting than low contact and sometimes you can't resist putting some 'whack' in your punch. My old Shotokan club still got bloody noses and winded lungs (by accident) despite their safety measures. No matter how many rules you put in fighting, these things are inevitable.

That was, shall we say, a completely useless post.

KornTheElephant · Posted On: 7/15/2012 5:49pm

well I did edit the end, but give me a chance dude, I'm only trying to join in.

**goodlun** · Posted On: 7/15/2012 5:52pm

Originally Posted by blackmonk

My main complaint about the style is that they don't allow kicks to the legs, which I think is a huge shortcoming... They don't even have an effective way of dealing with lower-body kicks at all.

I think you may have answered your own question

***battlefields*** · Posted On: 7/15/2012 5:57pm

I remember checking a kick in TKD like I did in MT. Got told off. I get the feeling I should drop a "nuff said", but there's more to say.

**Moldy** · Posted On: 7/15/2012 8:58pm

I've learned many, many times more about fighting in 2 months of MMA than I had in a year of Shotokan. One thing I will give to Karate though, is that the sideways stance protects the groin a lot better than a standard stance. However, that comes with a lot of tradeoffs, like free crippling leg kicks, no power on the front hand, and looking like an idiot.