Ralek, et al…
I have been corrected in regards to fighting style by an Internalist…and could even be corrected by others…that is one point that helps support the fact that it is about people and not styles…
Prior to being corrected myself, and even now, I have to re-train TKD (having privately studied off and on for over 20 years)students, and many other External or Hard styles as to better fighting methods…
There is nothing wrong with the style, just the way the individuals are being taught to fight or move or fall or block, etc…many times they come to me and say that earning rank no longer counts (this is the older people who practice both TKD and Karate based systems I am referring to now, ranging anywhere from white belt up to black belt) or that what they do does not reflect the true fighter that they know they can be.
This is a sad point people, but nonetheless, the style is still the most popular next to Taijiquan or rather T’ai Ch’i(since most of them do not practice the striking methods properly, if at all).
…so Ralek, to say your opinion is based upon 1 fight against a [Taijiquan]–probably just a Tai’Chi Instructor in all reality rather than a legitimate Fighting Taijiquan Instructor(there are different flavors of Taijiquan out there…do not be fooled by imitations, for if a person does not teach the complete system of Original Yang, then they are not the real thing in regards to Real Taijiquan)
…if you were to use the scientific method, along with simple statistics, then you would have to pool together at least 100 instructors from the Original Yang style(not anything else), and then at least 50 of each of their highest ranking students (this gives you a good sample size)…and then if your margin of error was at .05, and you won 97 percent of all the matches, then perhaps (though not specifically --even at this point) one could say that you are better than the average Taijiquan practitioner…
This still would not reflect on the style itself…
It just proves that you are a better fighter, or that they were not…
Since the techniques used could have been from any source, and the training methods would have varied, and the personal attitudes would have been different in regards to challenge matches, and so on…
The variables in this case quickly add up, and turn out to be too numerous – to just include into a broad statement of if you horse-whipped one or even two or even three, that the style is useless , type of thinking.
People that win challenge matches do not necessarily prove that their style is better, just that the opponent they fought at that moment was not on the same plateau of training or committment, agility, health, etc…
…in a nutshell, sweeping statements about people, especially the Martial Art they practice, are just not good…such statements simply do not have the clout to be backed up…
THREAD TOPIC
After practicing with other Instructors and students over the past 20 years, I have met many good fighters, but for every one that is good there are thousands that are not, and this is more than likely due to poor training methods. I have found that for TKD to improve just slightly, and without going Internal, thus maintaining their roots,
TKD Practitioners:
- Need to loosen up.
- Use more knees and lower kicks.
- Implement more hand strikes to knockout points.
- Move more from the waist.
- Practice with Intent against Partners.
- Turn blocks into striking blocks (as opposed to force meets force, unless of course, the practitioner has toughened up there skin through rigorous old-fashion toughening techniques).
- Make fighting a part of test.
- Make Forms just a part of learning, and not Rank Requirements.
- Allow for older students to not have to kick as high, or do so many spinning kicks, since low kicks work just as well. (ie. Be flexible in regards to different age groups since it is not about being a black belt degree mill or store front for Century MA, etc)
- Teach students to keep hands closer to body and to not step backwards.
- The list is endless!!!
“Success is measured not by the end result, but rather with each little step along the way.” - Me.
Chris B.
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