ATA FAQ: No more ATA threads to be posted after this:

[Omega Supreme]

[tkd panda]

Thank you for putting up that information if only for the fact I dont have to read every single thread titled ATA to get the full picture.

[G-Off]

Good FAQ.

A few of those answers sound really similar to what the World Tang Soo Do Association is too. Le sigh.

[DerAuslander]

I take it you missed the ATA mega-thread, Omega.

[Omega Supreme]

No, but I did promise this FAQ which was easier to read without all the tangents.

[DerAuslander]

Good. I hate tangents. Almost as much as I hate Tangent.

[Matt W.]

No mention of ATA's association with Krav Maga. Every ATA school I remember when I lived in the Orlando area had a Krav Maga class. What gives?

[cyril]

I think the corollary would be that anything the ATA does wrong, the ITA does wronger.

[Omega Supreme]

I have been at my school for 2 years and we have always had the sword. Also I believe the certification for a Krav Maga instructor is one week. The Krav Maga taught is not like the Krav Maga that was recently shown on the discovery channel show fight quest

The Krav Maga that was shown on the Discovery channel was watered down a bit. The Krav Maga taught to civilians is watered down a bit more than that. The Krav Maga taught by these week certification is watered down a bit more than that and ATA waters things down usually to make it more family friendly.

I can't speak from experiance but it sounds like you're getting mostly water.

[DerAuslander]

H2OMG?

[cyril]

I doubt its mostly water. Its a good workout if anything

That's why the majority of the ATA kids at our schools are overweight or skinny with no muscle mass, right?

[DSL]

I didn't think this was in YMAS...

[krazy kaju]

I doubt its mostly water. Its a good workout if anything

A good work out doesn't mean that:

1. You're learning anything of martial value.
2. You're learning a legitimate martial art.
3. You're learning a martial art from a good and/or legitimate instructor.

[Teh El Macho]

A hugh portion of this country is overweight which comes from the abundance of fastfood chains on every corner and the fast paced lifestyle most adults lead. It has nothing to do with the ATA program. I can train every day and I will still be overweight if my diet is poor.


As for everyone else who has not gone to an ATA school you should go to one and train for a month and then you would be better qualified to make judgements about the ATA and or the Krav Maga programs . Your information should be based on that alone and not from the posts on this webpage.:ninjadanc

Although what you say is absolutely true, keep in mind a lot of these people are talking on actual experience (long, long, long experience). Also, you do realize that this FAQ was made by an ATA instructor, and posted by a fighter/instructor, right?

So let's tone down that line of argument and keep it out of this thread. If you wish to discuss this further, please create a new thread or search for an existing one (same goes for other posters who feel they want to showcase their humor-fu.)


khf, what school in Florida do you go to? My family have my two nephews (almost 6 and 5 now) for about 10 months now at Andy Silva's ATA in Miami Lakes. They suppposedly have a KM program, I may actually check it if I have time and $$$ (though I'd lie if I say I expect it to live to my expectations.)

My nephews are happy there, and we had use the school successfully as part of their recreational activity to overcome minor ADD symptoms (there are other kids, boys and girls with more severe ADD and are doing well.) We are under no illusions of them learning fighting skills there (which we want them to at some point), and the physical training (as far as I've seen) is ok (not great.)

Having said that, I completely agree with the FAQ statements that it's a good choice for a family activity.

My only complain is that it's expensive. My sisters have to spend $500 for each for their "equipment" (vest, headgear, shinpads, and a cute ATA bag big enough to put them both inside.) One kids gets them, and then the other, and all of the sudden you have your ADD kid without out wondering why. So you have no choice but to get it.

I don't see why an instructor would have a mom buy $500 of equpiment for a 5-year old kid, specially if all they do at that age are jumping jacks and push ups and screaming "I will be a good boy, sir!" But that's how it is.

I hope I'm not derailing this FAQ, but I wanted to provide what I hope is an objective description of the first-hand IRL experience we have had with an ATA-affiliated school.

[Trubble]

thanks to shu2jack aka jack smail. though i am very against the ATA at least they members like you who try to keep it real. i appreciate the nonbiased nature of this faq.