Where to start? Taekwondo

[Narradisall]

I figured I'd put this in here, since it seems to fit best.

I'm considering getting into doing Taekwondo, and I know there are several people that do varying martial arts around these parts, so I was hoping to get some starting tips.

I've been looking around, and it appears there are several places in south london that do it, but I'm unsure of whether going to a school is best, or just finding a decent instructor even if the venue sucks. Are there any pitfalls and perils? What should I need to know etc.

Ideally I'm looking to do something that will help with my general fitness and strenght, agility etc. As well as something that combines practicing moves and full contact sparring. I'm also considering learning to use a bo staff but I figured I might leave that till I'm more proficient in unarmed combat.

Any advice of tips are appreciated.

[carnage11]

I started doing the Kenpo stuff that was included with the P90X. It's a lot of fun and will definitely do what you need it to do. I'm sure if you searched a little you could find some videos online for free. That way you don't spend any money and you can try it out and see if it's for you or not, before you go and buy your gi and pay for lessons. Once you get in a little better shape and decide if it's for you, then you can go and find an instructor. That's my advice.

[MachEnergy]

I became a 1st degree black belt in TKD back around '94......and then I just quit. When I started high school, I was concerned that I would be too busy with all my other activities, and TKD was the odd man out. I really miss it.

First, if you are interested in full contact sparring, TKD might not be the best choice for you. Also, if you are interested in weapons, that is not a major focus of TKD. When I graduated high school, I started looking into getting back into martial arts, and something called Chung Moo Do looked exciting to me, because it combined TKD with 8 different weapons....but I never actually tried it out.

Martial arts can be great for both the body and the mind. I found TKD to be perfect for me as an adolescent, but I'm not sure if it is what I would need today or not. My problem is that I had an amazing training team, and I know it would be almost impossible to capture that again. I would very much agree that it has to do with the people way more than the location. Find a good instructor, first and foremost. A good instructor will also surround themselves with other good instructors and trainers.

I go 50/50 with what carnage says about getting in shape first. Consider the fact that if you give yourself to a trainer, in the shambled state you are in, and they work hard to get you into shape while at the same time learning the way of the martial art they teach, I think you will establish a strong bond. So, just consider that.

At the end of the day, it's all going to come down to the trainer. I just happened to get lucky. You have the benefit of the internet nowadays. I'm sure if a trainer is worth their salt, people will have said good things about them online.

[Scull]

What Mach said. No matter how nice the school may be, it is all about the instructors. You need to find some one you can work with who will push you and support you in equal measures. A great instructor makes all the difference in the world. Of course you also need to try and find great classmates, but those often come with great instructors.

[Dorkandproudofit]

Try finding a good teacher rather than a big school. For example, Mr. Smithson, the head instructor at my school, is nice, friendly and goes by a "if you're trying, you're doing it" motto, but he still pushes you and encourages you to go that much further.

In other words, find a teacher who will encourage you and be nice about it, but still make you work for your belts.

[MachEnergy]

Also, HOLY SHIT! I hadn't thought about my instructors in forever, so I decided to google my Grandmaster, and he looks BAD-ASS nowadays! He was badass back in the mid 90's, but now, I'm pretty sure he could kill you with just his thoughts.

http://www.ohstaekwondo.com/photos/main/3v4cw01n85.jpg

http://www.ohstaekwondo.com/photos/main/w6iboohevb.jpg

http://www.ohstaekwondo.com/photos/main/ktptgllach.jpg


Sorry to threadjack, but I'm being overwhelmed with memories right now! :D

[Dorkandproudofit]

Also, HOLY SHIT! I hadn't thought about my instructors in forever, so I decided to google my Grandmaster, and he looks BAD-ASS nowadays! He was badass back in the mid 90's, but now, I'm pretty sure he could kill you with just his thoughts.

http://www.ohstaekwondo.com/photos/main/3v4cw01n85.jpg

http://www.ohstaekwondo.com/photos/main/w6iboohevb.jpg

http://www.ohstaekwondo.com/photos/main/ktptgllach.jpg


Sorry to threadjack, but I'm being overwhelmed with memories right now! :D

Wait... you were trained by MISTER-FUCKING-MIYAGI?! You sir, are awesome just from proximity to his awesome. :)

[Shieldmaiden]

If I'm not mistaken, TKD is actually a sport based on Korean martial arts so, like Mach said, it's probably not the best if you want full-contact sparring and that kind of thing.

Interestingly enough, I stumbled across a school teaching various Korean disciplines closer to their original forms, along with weapons, a few years ago, but they'd had to stop classes at the venue near me due to scheduling conflicts. :(

[MachEnergy]

Wait... you were trained by MISTER-FUCKING-MIYAGI?! You sir, are awesome just from proximity to his awesome. :)

LOL! I guess I hadn't seen it because I recall what he used to look like.
http://www.lacancha.com/images/BOOKYOOL.jpg
That's pretty funny though.

Grandmaster Joo Yul Oh. What an awesome instructor/mentor. He trained the Brazilian Flying Tigers team a few years, and had trained numerous Korean national champs. I don't know how he ended up in the suburbs of central Florida, but I'm eternally grateful.

[Narradisall]

Thanks for the good advice so far. Although now I want Mr Miyagi as my trainer now, lol. No wonder your instructor was good!

I don't plan to rush in, I want to do a lot of research and get in good shape over the next few months, so lucky that was my intended plan too. I will hunt around and see if I can find a good instructor in my area, and also see what other contact martial arts are avaliable.

[Karak]

Most martial arts of some kind will improve your athleticism. That's just a given. I took my 2nd of my 3 black belts in Kenpo but its my favorite of all. I am not sure, why. Seems the most realistic of those that I study and teach.

[Narradisall]

Karak,

It sounds like you've tried several types. How long would you say it takes to get a feel of whether you enjoy a particular one or not. I want to find one that I could see myself doing regulary for 10 years and still enjoy it. I'm just wondering if after a week, or a month if I would have a good understanding of what it involves enough to decide that.

If that made, any sense.

[NotJeff]

I took TKD for a couple of years. It's good for flexibility and athleticism, but if I were going to start another martial art now, it wouldn't be TKD. TKD was developed, IIRC, to help Korean peasants knock soldiers off of horses. High kicks and jumping. Since you'll problably get the athleticism and flexibility from any martial art, I'd try to find something more practical. I've heard good things from a friend who studies Krav Maga.

[MachEnergy]

The gym I go to (or at least, I'm enrolled) offers Krav Maga classes, and I've been really interested in checking it out. They also offer Muy Thai. Decisions....

[Karak]

Karak,

It sounds like you've tried several types. How long would you say it takes to get a feel of whether you enjoy a particular one or not. I want to find one that I could see myself doing regular for 10 years and still enjoy it. I'm just wondering if after a week, or a month if I would have a good understanding of what it involves enough to decide that.

If that made, any sense.

Like many arts you will find ebbs and flows for your enjoyment. Within a month or so you should have a good grasp of your interest in whatever art you want to learn. Most people who are really into martial arts and can find something to be interesting in any martial art.
I have found that Kenpo seems to hold the most students. I travel between 4 different schools of completely separate arts but Kenpo students seem to be the most long term.
For various reasons, Kenpo is in a state of flux right now which can also be very good because the students see an art evolve. Which all arts have to do.

[Karak]

The gym I go to (or at least, I'm enrolled) offers Krav Maga classes, and I've been really interested in checking it out. They also offer Muy Thai. Decisions....

KM is very fun. It is shallow as arts go, but that is what it should be and its awesome for it.

[Scull]

Narradisall, if you are looking for a practical defense in real world situations, Kenpo and Krav Maga are both aimed at that. There is much less focus of the formalities and ritual of classic martial arts and much more emphasis on usability in real situations. Also depending on who is teaching you Krav Maga, it may be one of the hardest workouts you'll ever get.

If you are interested in traditional, formal martial arts then look into something close to Okinawan karate. Shito-Ryu is a good example of this. Lots more formal than TKD, Kenpo, Krav Maga, etc. But you still get a decent work out.

As for an art I would probably avoid, kung-fu. It is fun and not a bad work out, but there are too many people who want to fly wuxia style and aren't there to really learn the skills being taught. Also, kung-fu tends to be more about the dance than the defense, which is why it is a really fun art to watch, but not really practical in real life.

Most schools offer some sort of starter plan like get 6 weeks for $60 or the like, and that should be a good enough run for you to get a feel for the instructors, the school and the art. Also, every school I've been to will let you come and watch and meet with the instructors before you commit to anything at all. Go to the local schools, watch the lessons, talk to the people, sign up for the trials. Especially focus on talking to the middle rank students. There is lots of churn within the first three ranks of any martial art. Those that have moved beyond the first three ranks are significantly more invested and tend to stay around longer.

EDIT:KM is very fun. It is shallow as arts go, but that is what it should be and its awesome for it.

I wouldn't call KM shallow. I would call it very focused though. KM has one purpose, and that is personal defense. You get in shape, you learn how to stop an assailant. That's it.

[MachEnergy]

I have to admit, ever since Batman Begins, I've been interested in the Keysi Method
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keysi_Fighting_Method

[Narradisall]

Thanks for all the input so far. I think I will follow some of the advice and try a couple of different arts on a a 4-6 week go and see how I like it. I'm not 100% sure what I'm looking to get out of it. I would like contact and useful moves rather than dance, but I'm not actually looking to be smashing peoples heads together, hell I think I've been in 2 fights my entire life, both over 10 years ago!

[carnage11]

Hey, since this thread is already here I'll just ask here. Has anyone here had any experience with Kali? It's seems like a very interesting style, but I know next to nothing about it other than what I've seen in the Bourne movies. lol. It intrigues me because I watched a show about it and they talked about how they teach you to defend and attack at the same time. Which gives it that fast look and is very useful when you need to end a fight quickly.

[Karak]

EDIT:
I wouldn't call KM shallow. I would call it very focused though. KM has one purpose, and that is personal defense. You get in shape, you learn how to stop an assailant. That's it.

Right...shallow:) You know me. One word that I feel sums it up. May not be right its just my way:)

Thats not to say its bad. That is to say it is shallow. Both on total techniques learned and variations.
Its not bad, in fact its a compliment if you study a defense.

That's the kicker. If you want an art you go for depth, if you want defense you usually go for something less so. Not to say one can not trade places with the other.
Having studied it for 2 years I do enjoy it, but its shallow when it comes to variation and overall continued learning versus continued practice.

2 totally different things.

Having been mired in the politics of martial arts for years we go through phases every decade or so where names and titles and labels are suddenly deemed "a diss, or a put down"
Please understand that as someone who enjoys the ART of martial arts I would never put down any of them. Not a single one....even the stupid useless and cringe worthy elbows in Mission Impossible 3:)