Tae Kwon Do: What's wrong with it?

Question

Just curious, I asked a question about martial arts for kids and people said TKD is good for kids but not after that... what's bad about TKD and the people that do it?

NickN: I did ask in that other thread but no one aswered I don't think so I figured I'd ask again this way.

Answer 1

My problem with it is many TKD schools are McDojo's (they're everywhere and they suck just like McDonalds) and they're "black belt schools" where you see 6 year olds with black belts. I don't know about you, but I find something VERY WRONG about that.

In TKD they leave out striking with knees and elbows. These are very effective and powerful attacks and TKD just ignores it. Muay Thai places heavy emphasis on knees and elbows.

My most important point is this: In order to really, truly learn your art and learn self-defense (isn't that the main reason we take martial arts?), you must....MUST....spar in every single lesson. In TKD, they don't spar. They do what is called point sparring and they practice fighting against the air...not other students.

In arts like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, and Judo...you go all out and spar in every single lesson. You don't go in there to hurt each other, but you go hard! This is absolutely vital and if your school doesn't do it, it's a waste of time and money.

Therefore: TKD = sub-standard and a waste of time/money compared to other arts that are out there.

Keep one final thing in mind...the people here saying TKD is a good art are people who have probably never trained in anything else and TKD is all they know. Of course they think it's good.

Answer 2

There is nothing wrong with TKD's techniques, they are the same as any other discipline out there because 90% of the techniques that these other disciplines have came from the Chinese disciplines and were changed or evolved to the founder of the next discipline's liking.

TKD favors high kicks, and many consider these kicking techniques to be "flashy" and therefore useless.

and since it's inception into the Olympics as a sport in the late 80's, it has earned that label and become a stigma that the techniques used by TKD are not effective in a real fight, when in fact they ARE just as effective as any other Martial Arts technique in their own right.

The only difference about ANY discipline is how seriously an individual studies it, there are no "bad" MA disciplines just as there are no "best" disciplines, but rather the actual skill level of the individual that uses the technique and in what way they use it in their strategy to win a fight.

train poorly and don't perfect your techniques, and you'll get poor results, train well and on a regular basis, and train to perfect your techniques and you'll get good results.

The problem lies with the stigma, once someone says it's bad, then more will believe it without ever really thinking about it's true potential in the RIGHT or most capable hands.

the whole idea about Martial Arts is that you have to train, get the techniques in your mind and commit them to "muscle memory" so that you can perform the technique without having to think about it befor you execute it, so it becomes second nature.

Answer 3

Nothing! Alot of people have a bad experience at a TKD Dojo, becuase that dojo may be a fake/"McDojo". Which is a dojo that does not really practice TKD correctly. So those people hate Tae Kwon Do. Tae Kwon Do is good for any age. You will be criticize in any martial art you pratcice. You just have to let them be. There is nothing wrong with Tae Kwon Do, but some people who practice it can be prideful. And that can give Tae Kwon Do a bad name. Anyways, Tae Kwon Do is great!

Answer 4

You are probably wise to quit Tae Kwon Do. If it took you only 3 years to get a blackbelt, either you are very good, or the instruction and testing very bad. In either case, I'd go for instruction in either Brazilian Ju-jitsu, or in Judo. You learn more throws in these and more grappling to go along with your strikes and kicks that you already know. Good luck.(^_^) For street-use, the most effective martial art is in stick/cane fighting, if you can find an instructor (for cane/walking stick) combination. But not for the traditional escrima type where each person is dueling someone else who also has a stick. You hardly ever find that going on in the US, do you? Cane fighting is a counter-attack type defense against someone who may NOT have a stick, but has a knife, or something. This is what I was trained in. Again, good luck!

Answer 5

There is nothing wrong with TKD if the person enjoys doing it. I don't think it's very effective as a combat technique...there is a lot of style and flash but that isn't necessarily the best in a real fight.
If your goal is exercise and fun, TKD is good. If you really want to be able to fight try something like Jeet Kune Do.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Okay TKD isn't good because it is known for flashy high kicks and thats it. After that they'll teach you basic punching and not much else. I mean I'm making it sound easier than it is but it isn't great for protecting yourself. If you walk into a fight and all you do is high kicks a 6 yr old girl would beat you up. If your looking for self defense I would say take Karate, Muay Thai, or Jujitsu

Answer 8

TKD is not bad i have been doing it for 4 years now it helps by good mental stamina in sparring fights, TKD is the art of kicking and punching and defense so that it is not one sideded so ya But for TKD there is different groups UTI or wtkdf Uti is more practice makes perfect it is more take time enjoy it and you will remember stuff Wtkdf is just like hurry hurry wtf you can get blackbetls at like in 2 years in uti it takes around 6 years so ya

Answer 9

nothing is wrong with TKD for older people. Their are many middle aged people at my dojo, my gran master is 57 and my instructer is 29. I am 13, a 2nd degree black belt, and i will stick to TKD for many years to come.

Answer 10

its great for kids, but not for serious fighters. I woop up on the TKD students at my dojo everytime I sparr with them.