AIMAA & Grandmaster Hee Il Cho

[sheltrk]

In another thread that was derailed, Grandmaster Hee Il Cho has been denigrated as both "some TKD fag", and as someone with no "actual fighting ability". Also, it was claimed that he is only known as a "point sparring" champion.

I maintain that he is a well-respected martial artist. His AIMAA organization endorses full-contact, hard training against fully-resisting opponents, with hand techniques that borrow heavily from boxing. (I've read the he was a competitive boxer at one time.) He teaches hard core Taekwondo with head punches and low kicking. Futhermore, although his organization is based on Taekwondo, takedowns and grappling are trained as an important part of the curriculuum, and are recoginzed as a necessary part of being a complete fighter.

In my opinion, these values are consistent with the message of Bullshido.

So, is AIMAA, (and by extension, Grandmaster Cho) the real deal? Or is AIMAA really just impressively packaged Bullshido?

Discuss. Prove me right or prove me wrong.

[Askari]

Right off the bad I see a couple of red flags, so I will dig around more then that.

This thread needs videos and pics.
Video of a "Cho's tournament" Is this his? So we can see the hands down style of fighting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtMgCPyU3Io

[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtMgCPyU3Io[/MEDIA]

Next we find the ever so popular Home Study Program:
http://www.aimaa.com/homestudyprogram.html

Grandmaster Hee Il Cho
Home Study Informative Guide

And you can get a Black Belt from home http://www.aimaa.com/homestudyprogram.html#section3

You may submit video performances for testing every two months at the beginning level, every two to four months at the intermediate level, and every four to six months at the advanced level. By following this time guide Black Belt can be achieved within approximately 3 1/2 - 4 years.

Edited to add; OMG I think I have this Black Belt magazine with him on the cover:

[Dr. Sleepless]

From a source of which I'm not allowed to speak of, who is DIRECTLY tied to the man himself. The schools in America are not full contact fighting schools. They do spar, but not full contact. However, the schools outside of America are FULL CONTACT and train for Kickboxing and Muay Thai fighting and as I understand it, MMA.

[Askari]

I have a point for him. He was the "Korean Coach" in the best TKD movie of all time:

BEST OF THE BEST
http://imdb.com/name/nm0158633/



So he truly cant be all bad, even with a home study course.

[alex]

he was in bloodsport 2 i guess...

[Omega Supreme]

I personally think Cho is one of the saving graces of TKD. Anybody who would talk about him I invite to visit him in Arizona and say it to his face. He started grappling curriculum with the Gracies long before UFC reared its head. For a man of his age he's in phenominal shape. I have one of his blackbelts training with me and his techniques are really solid so there you go for all it's worth.

[Lights Out]

From a source of which I'm not allowed to speak of, who is DIRECTLY tied to the man himself. The schools in America are not full contact fighting schools. They do spar, but not full contact. However, the schools outside of America are FULL CONTACT and train for Kickboxing and Muay Thai fighting and as I understand it, MMA.

And why is that?

BTW, I've heard grandmaster's daughter is hot, requesting pics.

[rokutanda]

And why is that?

I'm guessing lawsuits and parents wanting their kids not getting damaged.

[Lights Out]

I'm guessing lawsuits and parents wanting their kids not getting damaged.

Sucks to be USA, I guess.

[DerAuslander]

In another thread that was derailed, Grandmaster Hee Il Cho has been denigrated as both "some TKD fag", and as someone with no "actual fighting ability".

Ha.

So, is AIMAA, (and by extension, Grandmaster Cho) the real deal?

Yes.

It is the real Taekwondo.

Or is AIMAA really just impressively packaged Bullshido?

With the possible exception of the video testing program, it is completely un-Bullshido.