Mudo Taekwondo and other taekwondo

[Fodland]

Ok, hi guys.
I have a question about what normal WTF and ITF classes are like.
The reason why I ask is because I train in a norwegian taekwondo association, Mudo Taekwondo.

Ok, I'm gonna bore you with some information about Mudo:
The link to the Mudo association's homepage is:
www.mudo.no

But it's in Norwegian( maybe some other norwegian member can translate for you).

While I read the brochure for Mudo TKD it said that ( quote):
" What is the Mudo-method?
The Mudo-method is our way to teach traditional Taekwondo to other. It's an unique pedagogical training programme, made to satisfy each individual student's needs. The Mudo method is based on progression, and it introduces knowledge in phases"

What if think they mean by this is that from belts white to green, they concentrate on teaching us the techniques, building up the self confidense of the student, training us physically and are contempt with us only being able to perform the move with 70% correctness or something.
Then in the second phase, green to red belt, they put more focus into the poomsae and that we can execute the techniques with minimum 90% correctness ( or this might be their main intention, but face it. We're TKD, minimum 90% correctness, not gonna happen). Here we seriously start to do WTF sparring ( or as serious as TKD sparring can be)
The third ( and last) phase of Mudo TKD, is first dan and up, where they teach the students: Leadership, more knowledge on poomsae, more advanced "self-defence" techniques againt knife and stick, TKD history, knowledge about first aid and a proper diet....


The only thing I think is different from Mudo and WTF/ITF is that:
We have a set timetable ( one week we focus on sparring, then poomsae, punching combinations, kicking, self-defence), our instructors tell us that unless you're sparring TKD style, we should keep our hands UP( and only do the punching from the side while doing poomsae, or specifically told so), and they teach us punching+elbow+knee striking combinations ( I'm not sure if they're teaching these in WTF or ITF, I only know from vids that many TKD practicioners have craptastic punching techniques...). We're also gonna start light contact kickboxing ( and normal boxing, semi full-contact...Meaning we punch all we can, but we have to wear those irritating vests, and no 100% punches straight at the face) soon... Or so my trainers told me...

Should also be noted that the instructor of one of Mudo's founders is Grandmaster Chang Seong Dong( 9th dan TKD and 6th dan Hapkido)
End of Mudo info....

So... If you read the info above, how does WTF/ITF TKD differ from Mudo TKD? ( oh, and because I'm norwegian, it might happen that you don't understand some of the crap I wrote, if you didn't... Ask and I'll elaborate.)

After rereading this it might seem like I'm trying to make Mudo look fantastic or something... But don't worry, there's still some crap in here ( bad BBs, in some towns there are green belt instructirs, the TKD is 2000 years old story, etc)

Now I'm just praying that I won't get (too) rude comments.....

[retrograde]

It sounds and looks like a pretty typical WTF/Kukkiwon club. They wear WTF-approved uniforms, attain Kukkiwon black belt certificates, participate in WTF competitions and GM Chang Seong Dong is definitely a Kukkiwon black belt.

The thing some people don't get is this:

1. The WTF is just an organisation that controls and runs sparring (and sometimes poomsae) competitions. It isn't a 'style' in and of itself.

2. Kukkiwon taekwondo IS a style, but even then, they're pretty relaxed about what that involves, beyond the Taeguk form set (which they're anal about). There is a Kukkiwon black belt syllabus, although it's pretty simple and most clubs don't stick to it for their black belt gradings anyway.

3. You can do Kukkiwon-style taekwondo without participating in WTF-style competitions, although it looks like this club does both.

4. As such, beyond competitive sparring and forms, what Kukkiwon (WTF) clubs teach is pretty much up to them and therefore the clubs tend to vary wildly. Your club teaches to keep your hands up when fighting, which is good. Other clubs may not. Some clubs will incorporate groundwork, RBSD, boxing or, I dunno, acrobatics into their self-defense and fighting style. Some just do no-contact one-step drills. Plenty of Kukkiwon style clubs teach knees and elbows (although few, in my experience, teach them well). They all come under the Kukkiwon banner.

So, I'm not saying your club is good or bad, just that, based on your description and the website, it appears to be fairly unremarkable as a Kukkiwon/WTF club. Although the hands-up when fighting bit is good.

[Fodland]

Ok, thanks!

[retrograde]

Heh, I'm not sure how much I helped or answered your question.

To sum up: It's WTF/Kukkiwon and there ain't nothing wrong with that (I still think WTF sparring is fun). But if you're looking for effective self-defence/fighting skills, that's really down to a specific club. The hands-up thing is good, but you'll probably also want to be doing 'alive' training and contact fighting that isn't WTF sparring.

[Bigzilla]

I agree with Retro inregard to what is WTF and what is Kukkiwon.

A few people today try to seperate Taekwondo into sport vs. traditional vs moodo, etc. I say when you see this, beware.

Taekwondo is like Retro stated. However, I found that hard hogu fighting, being the limited sparring that it is, is excellent for self defense. It is difficult to find any other method where you are under the threat of full force blows and must respond in kind, and where you can traing in that method, day after day and still remain healthy.

Bigzilla

[retrograde]

Weeellll, yes, WTF sparring does help you learn to take a hit, however, I don't think it's a realistic style of fighting at all. The kicks are high, the range is very long and there's no face punching. I was good at taekwondo sparring, but I now get my arse handed to me in Muay Thai, which - I think most here would agree - is a far more realistic combat style.

WTF sparring is fun and a great way to get fit, flexible and used to fighting in a ring, but it won't help you much on the street.

[Azathoth]

I've never trained at Mudo - I've been doing NTN (National TKD Norway) - a ITF style organisation.

It looks like Mudo is very much a WTF-type style and that's what Ive heard from others too. You probably have more sparring than we do - but I don't think that any TKD style is particularly realistic or "useful for the str33tz" (unless it's the streets of Selbu or something :P)

I remember my old instructor mentioned Mudo (many years ago), and that is was run as a business (it's an aksjeselskap after all), whereas, f. eks. NTN is a sportsclub, run by the members on a voluntary basis.

You could have a look at:
http://www.ntkd.no/
as well


mvh

[DerAuslander]

Mudo = Budo.

It's nothing special.

[Shug]

so much badness.... why do they do that with the names? I actually asked a korean guy about his Judo training, and for some oddly idiotic reason he told me he did 'Yudo' not 'Judo.'

Such comments make my head want to explode.... they hate the Japanese and yet its the same damn thing

[DerAuslander]

so much badness.... why do they do that with the names? I actually asked a korean guy about his Judo training, and for some oddly idiotic reason he told me he did 'Yudo' not 'Judo.'

Such comments make my head want to explode.... they hate the Japanese and yet its the same damn thing

I am very tempted to rip your head off.

But I'll be nice.

Learn how Chinese characters influenced language development in Japan and Korea.