Posted by Arnold on February 25, 2003 at 14:39:58:
I am posting about an interesting article I recently
read about TKD as a martial art or a sport. I have
presently been in the martial arts since 1982, and my
base system was TKD. My istructor from Baltimore Md
was a fifth dan in a TKD system known as the Chang Mu
Kwan system of TAE KWON DO. I have to say for all
those people who think they know TKD AS ONLY A SPORT
NEED TO DO MUCH MORE REASERCH. In the Chang Mu Kwan
system we had one step sparring methods that were
devestating. The kicks which is the trade mark of TKD
were excellent, but the hands were even more
devestating than people realize. Moves from judo,
hapkido, were incorporated along with the feet and
hands arsinal. When we went to major tournament
compitition, people always thought we would attack or
defend with only a large precentage of feet, and
hardly no hands.(WRONG ANSWER) We blasted opponents
with ridge hands, backfists, reverse punches(good
basics)along with not only powerful kicks, but pretty
kicks also. We were a hard school to beat. Even today
I am presemtly studying Kenpo, Seven star Praying
mantis, I still keep TKD as my base. The old Palgue
forms (1-8) I still practice, and they aid me as well
as students in executing good strong techniques.
People need to realize that tradtional TKD is as
awesome as the olympic style of sport TKD.
Keep up the tradition TKD.