From: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: the_dojang-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: The_Dojang-Digest V8 #16 Reply-To: the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: The_Dojang-Digest Mon, 8 Jan 2001 Vol 08 : Num 016 In this issue: the_dojang: Re: Opinion Question the_dojang: Re: Opinion Question the_dojang: Another misquote re: GM Ji the_dojang: Re: The_Dojang-Digest V8 #15 the_dojang: Using mats for falling the_dojang: Still snowed in, but having fun the_dojang: Georgia AAU! the_dojang: Re: Opinion teaching/fights the_dojang: re-breakable boards... the_dojang: Re: website & material the_dojang: . ========================================================================= The_Dojang, serving the Internet since June 1994. ~999 members strong! Copyright 1994-2001: 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 the online search engine for back issues of The_Dojang at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Jim Griffin" Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2001 15:14:24 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Re: Opinion Question We hear time and again that a good martial artist should be able to avoid the fight before it begins. If you accept this premise (and I do), it seems like the fight-free martial artist you mention might be an outstanding teacher. Even if you don't buy into this, ask yourself if it's possible for someone to be a good football coach without having first been a football player. Can someone effectively teach law without having tried a case? I think you see the point I'm trying to make. - --- begin quoted message --- >From: "Shaun M. Fortune" >Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2001 13:15:45 -0600 >Subject: the_dojang: Re: Opinion Question > >I have a question for the list members. How would you feel about someone >teaching martial arts who had never been in a fight? I'm really interested >in answers from a variety of ages, ranks, arts, etc. and if there are any >differences. Please feel free to email me directly. Thank you for your >input. > >Shaun M. Fortune >Taekwondo/hapkido - --- end quoted message --- - ---===--- Jim Griffin www.wuma.com sitebuilder.liveuniverse.com/jgriffin/ _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ From: RumNCoke220@aol.com Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 15:12:00 EST Subject: the_dojang: Re: Opinion Question This is in response to the question regarding an instructor who has never been in a fight. I don't think that whether an instructor has been in a fight or not has anything to do with that instructor's ability to teach. An instructor cannot transmit toughness or calm in the face of a violent attack to a student. An instructor can give you tools with which to defend yourself, and drills/sparring to help make those tools a natural part of you, but what you do with these skills is up to you. I liken this to the age old Karate is better than Taekwondo, Hapkido is better than Kickboxing....etc, arguement, which I think has been done to death despite it's irrelevance. Style, just like an instructor's fighting record, is only a vehicle. YOU have to make these things work for YOU on the street, in the ring, etc., not your instructor or your association/style/art/organization. I think this also translates on the competition side. I have seen several instructors who didn't exactly impress me when I see them compete, but some of their students are absolutely amazing and very successful. Being able to do, and being able to teach have very little, if any, relationship to one another (in my experience). I work as a peace officer, and I have seen people of all different ages, genders, and backgrounds (military, martial arts, etc.) act very differently in violent encounters. Some freeze, some run, some fight, and these reactions are not age, gender, or background specific. I just can't believe that someone reacts differently under pressure because their instructor punched out a mugger on the street once or twice. My other angle on this topic is a little more broad based. I have yet to see this list address the fact that there are plenty of serious martial artists who are training with self-defense/fighting as a secondary or even tertiary goal. Some people are looking to bring the stress level down. Some are looking to bring the weight down. Some are looking for a fun and different hobby. Are these people any less of a martial artist than one who is looking primarily for self-defense skills? I don't believe so. And if an instructor emphasizes forms, physical conditioning, or meditation and ki development over kicking, punching and throwing, does that instructor's fighting background matter? And is that more esoteric instructor a bad instructor? Again, I don't believe so. Centuries ago, the martial arts were for war. They have a different place and broader mission today. As far as I'm concerned, having been a cop, a UFC champion, or a successful streetfighter (whatever that means), might be something good to put on the school's brochure, but these things only marginally, if at all, affect one's ability to teach. J.T. ------------------------------ From: RDNHJMS@aol.com Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 15:43:53 EST Subject: the_dojang: Another misquote re: GM Ji Chris wrote: << The issue really appears to me to be that GM JI says he is the founder of Hapkido, gave the name Hapkido to GM Choi, and now wants GM Choi's students (and their students) to: A) stop using the name Hapkido, or B) agree that he founded their art (this seems highly unlikely), or C) at least acknowledge that he came up with the term Hapkido which they now apply to their art (which, from what I have seen, many of them don't have a problem doing).>> Chris, you seem to be moving beyond the fringes here. GM Ji has never stated that he wants GM Choi's students to do any of these things you have listed. Please don't put words in his mouth. I'm not sure where you came up with this other than just making it up yourself. There seems to be much of that from people on this list. I would encourage you to ask GM Ji for yourself. I routinely sponsor seminars for GM Ji and invite the public to train with the man. Take the time next time and discover for yourself what it's all about. Rick Nabors ------------------------------ From: CKCtaekwon@cs.com Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 15:44:29 EST Subject: the_dojang: Re: The_Dojang-Digest V8 #15 In a message dated 1/8/01 1:30:45 PM Central Standard Time, the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com writes: << I hope you are kidding in regards to your reply about using mats. Think about why we wear protective gear during full contact sparring, why we break boards, bricks, etc. rather than each others ribs, arms, noses, etc. It is easy enough with one slip to get hurt or hurt some one during practice with mats and protective gear, imagine the injuries without mats and protective gear. >> of course , I use lots of dry humor in my comments. gary New CKC Web Page ------------------------------ From: "Wallace, John" Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 13:06:21 -0800 Subject: the_dojang: Using mats for falling Gary said: << Christopher Spiller asks: I was wondering if someone can enlighten me as to why so many Taekwon-Do dojangs have mats. At the TKD school I attend we are taught forward rolls, backward rolls, and break falls therefore we need the mats. In addition when advanced students are practicing creative self defense (i.e., make up your own combination of moves in response to punches, kicks, grabs,...) the mats are used for take downs. >> There are no mats on the street. So why practice with mats? gary pieratt My response: A street encounter (hopefully) only occurs once. Throwing/falling drills (hopefully) happen several times a week. I think you get a lot more participation, and much fewer injuries, and more realistic efforts if you practice with mats. Respectfully, - -JW ------------------------------ From: ABurrese@aol.com Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2001 18:14:21 EST Subject: the_dojang: Still snowed in, but having fun Thanks to Ken, DD got my post about being snowed in when he replied to both lists. (I only sent to Martial Science because I didn't have a DD to reply to and don't have the address book on this computer, and I was having problems copy/paste etc with everything in Korean. :-) Anyway, the weather is still bad in Kangwon-do, and it looks like the busses will not start going today either, (Tuesday) So we are trying to think what we will do. Whatever, we are having fun. Nice to be away from Law School and the law firm and just relax a bit. But I am getting anxious to get to Kangnung and my Hapkido instructor there. Just have to see how it goes. Food is great all over, so...... Till later, Alain ------------------------------ From: "hununpa" Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2001 22:16:12 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Georgia AAU! Dear Cookson Sa Bom Nim, Gamsa Hamnida for the link to your GA AAU TKD info. Looking at my calendat there are no conflicts for the Georgia events and they are all within 30 minutes of my home/dojang. I am looking forward to meeting you soon....I drive by your school on the way to work... You just might have a Tang Soo Do vistor soon :-) Many thanks also to Mr. Terry for the event list through 2004. I must say in this post I stand corrected on the number of AAU events in Georgia and am glad my previous post led me to this new information. Again many thanks to Mr. Terry for hosting such a network! Yours in Jung Do, Charles E. Richards Moja Kwan TSD Shop Safely Online Without a Credit Card http://www.rocketcash.com ------------------------------ From: ABurrese@aol.com Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2001 18:29:51 EST Subject: the_dojang: Re: Opinion teaching/fights >>>>I have a question for the list members. How would you feel about someone teaching martial arts who had never been in a fight? I'm really interested in answers from a variety of ages, ranks, arts, etc. and if there are any differences. Please feel free to email me directly. Thank you for your input.<<<< Shaun, You raise an interesting question. However, I would suggest you change it to teaching Self-defense without being in a fight, not martial arts. Since people learn martial arts for different reasons. Depending on the focus you are looking for, will depend on the art and the instructor that fits you best. As an example, people have asked me about the martial arts in Missoula. I always tell them it depends on what they are looking for. If they want self-defense, the HKD classes I teach are there, with a combination of the HKD curriculum from Korea with a bit of "extra" stuff thrown in from other sources and my experiences. However, if you want to compete, don't come to me. There are some instructors at the University TKD Club that are excellent and can teach a person how to compete successfully in the TKD arena. Todd Taylor's students have also brought back medals from competitions. If you want more of a spiritual and very traditional approach, with Japanese flavor instead of Korean, check out the Aikido school. And you can go on and on, but you see the point. As for a person teaching self-defense that has never been in a real fight, I guess that would depend on an individual basis too. What is being taught, and what is the basis for the teaching. I think it can help if the instructor has actual experience, but I don't know if it is absolutley necessary. If all a person wants is self defense skills and to be able to protect themselves better, there are programs that are not traditional MA that may be best for that person. (Interestingly, many of these programs are taught by people with traditional MA backgrounds) However, a good traditional program can teach a lot more than just how to fight, so there is much more to be gained, if the person is willing to invest the time and committment to learn. That's a little rambling while I'm snowed in here in Inchon..... Alain ------------------------------ From: "kadin goldberg" Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2001 18:59:30 -0700 Subject: the_dojang: re-breakable boards... Hey, I just went to a Kara Ho Kempo and Tae Kwon Do demonstration and i was just wondering about the re-breakable boards... what exactly are they, the person doing the demonstration said that they were equal to two normal breaking boards... is that true?? Anyway, i just wondered because when he held it, it didnt look like it would be too hard to break. thanks, Kadin _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ From: Daremo and Kitsune Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2001 20:44:56 -0600 Subject: the_dojang: Re: website & material Group, At this time I invite all of you to review the website that has been created for the programs I'm teaching & developing. They are not all TKD related but I'd appreciate any input on the layout or material. Please check it out and let me know if its bad. www.tigerconsulting.org Thanks, Robert Frankovich Tiger Consulting Senior Trainer 4th Dan AAU Taekwondo 4th Dan Song Moo Kwan Taekwondo 2nd Dan Seidokan Aikido www.tigerconsulting.org "There's more to balance than not falling over." Michael Angier ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2001 19:20:55 PST Subject: the_dojang: . ------------------------------ End of The_Dojang-Digest V8 #16 ******************************* It's a great day for Taekwondo! Support the USTU by joining today. US Taekwondo Union, 1 Olympic Plaza, Ste 104C, 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. 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