Taekwondo: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

**StuartA** · Posted On: 3/07/2007 6:41pm

Originally Posted by Kintanon

There were a crap ton of colored belts also. At the time there seemed to be some confusion as to who was running the event. My contact for it was from ITF Canada, but the judges I spoke to there kept referring to the organization as ITF USA, though some said ITF North America. As you can see, it was INCREDIBLY disorganized. I think it qualifies as a "World" event considering the number of countries I saw represented. Though the Koreans were conspicuously abset.

Yup, having other countries there gives the excuse for using "Worlds" in the title, but the connatations & reality are a bit different. If it was 200+ BB's then fine, but with lots of Coloured belts.. well.. anyway, perhaps just a selling point! Who knows, but as long as you learnt something.. then who cares!

Koreans are always absent from ITF events.. most Koreans AFAIK practice WTF.. though I have a couple of South Koreans teaining at my school at the moment, though they are not the norm.

Stuart

**StuartA** · Posted On: 3/07/2007 6:47pm

Originally Posted by Matt W.

Oh, how I wish I had trained at a good ITF school.

Where did you train when you did TKD Matt? You sound like a no nonsense type of guy and I find it hard to believe you would have gone to a McDojang!!

Stuart

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 3/08/2007 7:38am

There were 200 blackbelts approximately and another 600 or so colored belts. It was a pretty big event. I'd think it was just barely big enough to qualify as a World event based on number of different countries represented. But either way, my main point was that I've seen the kind of people that get set to MAJOR tournaments in the US by their schools. If they are representative of the schools BEST, the people they feel are MOST LIKELY to win, then that's a sad sad sad day for Taekwondo.

**StuartA** · Posted On: 3/08/2007 8:35am

Originally Posted by Kintanon

There were 200 blackbelts approximately and another 600 or so colored belts. It was a pretty big event. I'd think it was just barely big enough to qualify as a World event based on number of different countries represented.

Aha, thats more like it. I thought 200 total didnt sound too big!

But either way, my main point was that I've seen the kind of people that get set to MAJOR tournaments in the US by their schools. If they are representative of the schools BEST, the people they feel are MOST LIKELY to win, then that's a sad sad sad day for Taekwondo.

Schools dont send their best, they simply send everyone that wants to enter, good and bad. Only world events with qualifiers and country squad selections would give an indication like you want.. in effect, the world cup (and most world championships) are open events (often only open to the orgs emmbers though).. still good to win, but not the cream against only the cream I dont think.. still, the good ones should filter through perhaps. Also, with the ITF splits any event knocks out roughly two thirds of those that would enter!

Any videos perhaps?

Stuart

**MastaChance** · Posted On: 3/08/2007 10:20am

I am glad I started at a good old fashioned school. I feel bad for those who have wasted there money on this type of TKD training.

**Matt W.** · Posted On: 3/08/2007 11:50am

Where did you train when you did TKD Matt?

Check your PM.

**StuartA** · Posted On: 3/08/2007 12:35pm

Originally Posted by Matt W.

Check your PM.

Got it... cheers. :new_blueg

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 3/08/2007 12:41pm

Hmm... I have some videos of me screwing up my form... I'll have to check with my fiance and see if we got any sparring vids. there was a guy sitting next to my fiance with a GIANT camera filming it for something, so there must be some vids around somewhere.

**StuartA** · Posted On: 3/08/2007 1:08pm

Originally Posted by Kintanon

Hmm... I have some videos of me screwing up my form... I'll have to check with my fiance and see if we got any sparring vids. there was a guy sitting next to my fiance with a GIANT camera filming it for something, so there must be some vids around somewhere.

Cool, cheers. It will be interesting to see and compare if its the same stuff Ive come across over the years.

Stuart

**Shu2jack** · Posted On: 3/09/2007 1:40pm

ATA guy here. Been doing it for just about 14 years, so if you wanted any organzation specific information for your article, feel free to ask.

As far as the bad knees go, I haven't noticed it too much. My instructor mentioned the bad knees a lot of TKD people get, but he says it is because a lot of people don't spend the time to kick right or in a healthy way. He has been doing it for over 30 years and is in his late 40s...

I do think a lot of the bad knees has to do with all that freaking jumping on hard floors and the tendacy of TKDists to "stick" their side kicks in katas/forms.