Akai Bushi

[Akai Bushi]

Forgot to answer. Your translation of Aku Soku Zan is correct.

And I typically practise forms because I don't want to make too much noise in my house doing all my jump kicks.

[Kaoru]

Hi there,

Akai Bushi-san, you forgot the ATA, which is the American TKD Association, which is very good, depending on the dojang. At least it was when I was in it about 15 years ago. I studied TKD in an ATA dojang and reached Blue before I had to quit.

Everything Akai Bushi-san has said is right. You need to stretch befiore practicing or you can really hurt yourself, especially when you get older.

It has been a very long time since I trained, so I can't tell you as much as I could had I kept it up.

But, he is definately right about the Dan level rank thing.

Here is the ATA website:

http://www.ataonline.com/

The two federations he mentioned are the only other ones a dojang should be members of if they are not an ATA dojang.

You do need to check out the dojang to see if you like it. It does depend on the dojang as to whether or not the instruction is good.

Look for:

1. Strong emphasis on etiquette.
2. Strong emphasis on getting things correct and not just passing a student for money.
3. A dojang that will hold you back if you do not have your technique down good enough for testing. If they pass you anyway, they just are out for money. Run away from them.
4. Strong emphasis on keeping the dojang clean.
5. Strong emphasis on not showing up for class dirty and require the students to have their uniforms neatly pressed/clean for class, and then neatly folded or hung afterward, and have respect for your belt and fold that neatly too. One must have great respect for the uniform.
6. The teacher is clean and his unform is not dirty but looks clean and nice at each class as an example to the students.
7. The teacher is polite at all times and is helpful and not abusive.
8. Strong emphasis on respect for fellow students and the teachers.

These are some things you need to look for.

Our dojang was just excellent and had all these qualities.

You really need to just visit and see how the dojang is run. We never called our teaches "Master." It was always Sir or Ma'am, which was honorable on the teacher's part because they were humble enough not to call themselves Masters. ATA dojangs do not have students call a teacher Master unless he is very high level. I mean way past 4 dan. I hate that term anyway, but that's just me, I suppose.

Well, you just need to check the dojangs out, and ask the teacher lots of qualification questions about his/her training. A decent teacher will be happy to tell you what you want to know.

Hope this helps!

Kaoru

[hiko]

Well, Akai Bushi, I think that is all the questions I have for you. Thank you. I enjoyed our conversation.

[Akai Bushi]

It's pretty typical in TKD not to call someone master until 4th dan SA BUM NYM.
Then Grand Master is 6th KWAN JANG NYM.

No problem Hiko if you have anyother questions feel free to ask.

[hiko]

Actually, there is something I forgot. How did you get the kanji characters to show up below your name?

Also, I just thought of this. What stretches do you use? I've heard there are bad stretches and good ones.

[hiko]

I was just at ATA website, have you been there? It's seems highly ... American. I thought the DVD movie preview thing was funny. All flashy and showy. They make the masters look like gods or something.

[Kaoru]

I was just at ATA website, have you been there? It's seems highly ... American. I thought the DVD movie preview thing was funny. All flashy and showy. They make the masters look like gods or something.

Check the site for the history. The person who founded it is from Korea, but is/was(I think he might have died not too long ago, if I remember right.) an American citizen, I believe.

He modified the traditional TKD and named his style the Songahm form of TKD. ...Or something like that. My history is pretty hazy. I havent looked at the TKD notebook I kept for ages. The teachers we had were very good(And I am the MOST picky person so I'd have left if they weren't. I don't like non-legit things.).

As I said before, it used to be very good when I was training in this style of TKD. That was 18 years ago(I think. I didn't take the time to actually work it out.) when I was 21.(I started in 1987.) I have NO idea whether or not if it went downhill or not. It depends on the dojang and how it is run. If you took the time to read my post, you will see the list I made of things to look for in a dojang. Those things are how my dojang was run.

Like I said, I hate it when people call themselves Master, or expect to be addressed as such, especially at 4 dan. I can't understand the obession with that. One is never a master of any art. I would never call someone that. Teacher, yes, Master, never. We called all levels Sir or Ma'am unless it was the head of the ATA. At least, that is how it was when I was practicing it.

You should also look into Karate.

You just need to visit each dojang to see if you like what you see. You can't know unless you visit.

Those are the only three TKD Federations(Mine plus Akai-san's) I trust, and there are many out there besides those.

Hope that helps!

Kaoru