From: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: the_dojang-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: The_Dojang-Digest V7 #632 Reply-To: the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: The_Dojang-Digest Mon, 2 Oct 2000 Vol 07 : Num 632 In this issue: the_dojang: Is NBC best source of TKD Olympic videos? the_dojang: Choking on Forms the_dojang: Re: Evolution of Styles the_dojang: Re: The_Dojang-Digest V7 #629 the_dojang: Re: Student Retention the_dojang: . ========================================================================= The_Dojang, serving the Internet since June 1994. ~1200 members strong! Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe the_dojang-digest" (no quotes) in the body (top line, left justified) of a "plain text" e-mail addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. To send e-mail to this list use the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and online search the last five years worth of digest issues at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Erik Kluzek Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2000 08:31:21 -0600 (MDT) Subject: the_dojang: Is NBC best source of TKD Olympic videos? Is NBC going to be the best source to get a video of the Olympic Tae Kwon Do competition? They only have the gold medal matches, it would be nice to have more than that. But, if they are the only game in town... Erik Kluzek Longmont CO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ------------------------------ From: "Farral, Kim G" Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2000 11:17:24 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Choking on Forms Anybody else have this problem? Once again...Competing in a tournament...the Executive (I like that term Executive) Men's Black Belt Division...Temps up to 5th...Forms...I get out there...form is going along great....good power, focus, concentration, snap, crisp and properly executed techniques...get 10 moves away from finish and go completely blank where I can't even think of something to do...not even a simple punch...completely blank out and freeze up...Not sure if it was my facial expression, my well announced vocal expression, or my animated physical expression that made it blatantly clear to the judges that I had choked...I immediately proceeded to bow out and inform the judges that I wold not do a repeat....which they were going to allow...bowing out "gracefully" was better...was then informed by the judges that I had 1st place...(not the first time I had been told this) until I let it be known I had lost it... Been having this problem since I was Temporary Black Belt...that was in 1981...still having the same problems today as a 4th Dan nearing 5th Dan eligibility...I think I have actually completed my form less than a dozen times in my career...not a very good record for my rank...concentrating too hard maybe... Anyone else suffer from this? The One and Only... Tink ------------------------------ From: "Carl W" Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2000 10:57:02 MDT Subject: the_dojang: Re: Evolution of Styles >From: TKDSCRIBE@aol.com >Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 19:28:05 EDT >Subject: the_dojang: Age Issues, again > Mr. Choi also should be honored for his massive efforts in >popularizing >and spreading, not just the name, but an early "version," of this now >popular >art. Mr. Silz Your point hits home on an issue I've been pondering for the past little while: how styles have changed since post-WWII to the present. For the most part, the history of TKD seems to get bogged down with discussions of who founded what when, what somebody said or wrote versus what somebody else did or didn't do, the personalities involved, the politics being played between and amongst individuals and kwans\associations, etc etc etc. As we've seen on this list several times, the topic gets old very fast with little agreement between 'camps'. As well, in these discussions, there is little, if any, attention paid to the actual subject matter of TKD. Namely, the development of the content of the art: techniques. An example is the sine wave. Whether one thinks its of advantage or benefit or not, it is an objective, concrete, observable, and fundamental technique that distinguishes one TKD style from other styles. Further, its creation, implementation, use, role, and influence can be used to discuss how a style has developed and evolved, as well as how styles have diverged from one another. I think that documentation of changes to techniques, within and between styles (thus the 'history'), should also be easier. Again, using an ITF example, one only needs to refer to the evolving content of General Choi's books. Likewise, the influence of the Olympics on the development of the WTF style could be illustrated. Considering techniques and changes to techniques, students discussing\researching the history of TKD have better, and quantifiable, sources and are thus also saved from any political ramblings or self-serving intrepretations of the author\association\ideologues. Lastly, as we all are concerned with techniques ("how-to", efficacy, efficiency), a "history of TKD" focused on techniques (versus "you said, he said") would hopefuly help to produce better taekwon-doists, encourage a fuller understanding of the development of one's own style, and foster an appreciation of the differences between styles while diffusing arguments based on subjective emotions, values, and beliefs. Sorry for the long post. Taekwon Carl W. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. ------------------------------ From: Jerry Lynde Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2000 13:44:34 -0600 Subject: the_dojang: Re: The_Dojang-Digest V7 #629 At 06:22 PM 9/30/2000, the voices (well actually, Stephanie) said: >From: TKDAZZKIKR@aol.com >Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2000 19:31:34 EDT >Subject: the_dojang: Re: Student Retention > > I'm not sure about other students out there, but I can tell you what >keeps me coming back. Sheer love of TaeKwonDo. That's what keeps me coming back as well. I made a commitment to train hard and do what I can to live up to my ideals as a martial artist when I started. It's always meant a lot to me, since I was young. The ideal was impressed upon me by my first instructor as a youth, and even when I strayed from the path (meaning the Do or way) by living in a less than virtuous life as a teenager, I still held this ideal to which I wanted to aspire. Now, years later, I am able to start living up to my ideal, and part of that is continuing training. Not only to become a better martial artist, but to become a better person. So I go to class every chance I get, and get in trouble (with myself) when I miss, as was the case last week (had a cold... took lots of Benadryl...now I can breathe again.) On the topic of Udell's tournament win, Congradulations!! I'm going to my first tournament to compete this weekend. I'm going to do Taeguk Sajang in the poomsae competition and enter the sparring as well. Wish me luck! :o) Jerry Lynde ------------------------------ From: "Carl W" Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2000 13:53:10 MDT Subject: the_dojang: Re: Student Retention >From: "Robert Martin" >Subject: the_dojang: Student Retention > >Student retention is a great concern of our school. We are a 20 year old >school that is associated with a recreation district. We are fairly cheap >but have a limited number of classes. We do pretty good at keeping white >blets to their first test (3 to 6 months). I would guess about 85% that >start. However, overall student retention isn't all that great. Of 25 >students that start, maybe one or two goes all the way to black belt. I'm >not sure if this is a good average over all. > >I know that this is a broad question but what stragies do you use? > >For the students out there: what keeps you comming back? Mr. Martin The city I live in has a population of approximately 650,000 and the surburban community that our club operates in has a population of about 60,000. In the local "surburban" newsletter there was no less than 5 new martial arts clubs that started advertising in August (2 karate, 1 judo, 1 kung fu, and 1 TKD). 4 of these new clubs are being run out of community league halls. In 2 of the cases, the club is being sponsored by a community league (= low overhead). For the 2 ads that have indicated rates, they are not less expensive than our fees. As for the new TKD club, its instructor, according to the ad, is a 1st dan. As well, no afiliation is indicated. Of course, all things being equal, these new clubs are now, and will continue to, take away from our own membership especailly at the level of younger, 2nd year, returning students. It is much more convenient to run down the sreet rather than driving, or driving the kids, to a further away location. My Instructor has responded to this by toughening the testing requirements at all coloured belt levels. For instance: testees will have to explain (purposes, proper execution) AND demonstrate the stances, strikes, and blocks appropriate for the students belt level; in addition to performing 2 patterns, a student will also be required to perform a 3rd optional pattern from previous levels, chosen by the examiner at the test; oral questions (theory of power, history, moral culture, tenets, philosophy)have increased from 2 - 4 depending on belt level, to 6 - 10; where individual board breaks where required, some have now been combined into a combination break; etc. In short, the tests should not be any more difficult for the average student, but they will be much more thorough. Why raise the bar? Our instructor feels that one of the results of the proliferation of new clubs will be a degradation in the necessary standards to receive promotions and, eventually, a black belt. He wants a club where achieving a new belt level actually means that you've done more than pay your dues and show up at classes. Will this affect the size and membership of our club? You bet! The next few years might be difficult but our reputation will eventually attract more serious and dedicated students, beginner and continuing. Even though we half-heartedly complain about the new testing requirements, not a single student, or parent, has questioned Sabum on his decision. In fact, we all feel a bit prouder. Taekwon Carl W. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2000 15:24:35 PDT Subject: the_dojang: . ------------------------------ End of The_Dojang-Digest V7 #632 ******************************** It's a great day for Taekwondo! Support the USTU by joining today. US Taekwondo Union, 1 Olympic Plaza, Ste 405, Colorado Spgs, CO 80909 719-578-4632 FAX 719-578-4642 ustutkd1@aol.com http://www.ustu.org To unsubscribe from the_dojang-digest send the command: unsubscribe the_dojang-digest -or- unsubscribe the_dojang-digest your.old@address in the BODY of an email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply.