Reply to switching from karate to TKD?

Forum Index » Sports General Discussion

Reply to "switching from karate to TKD?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]As mentioned above, karate (and there are many versions) and TKD are cousins, and there is a good amount of overlap between the two.

Regardless of karate or TKD, what the program produces varies widely depending on the studio's philosophy.  Some are more oriented as an after-school program to help with a child's self-confidence, others have a lot more of a flavor of a self-defense academy.  All comes down to what you and your son want.  I think it would be good to at least watch a class (at the hour your son would attend) at the TKD place you're considering and decide if the two align.

With regard to 'starting over' - at the risk of going Mr. Miyagi, if you think your son is going to be interested in continuing martial arts over the long haul, the color of the belt doesn't matter (fully acknowledge the aspect of self-affirmation and social hierarchy).  Most places where I've studied require even kid black belts to start over completely when they transition to adult classes. 
 
Honestly, I'd be leery of a place that allows you to just carry the level belt from another style over.  By the same token, [b]I'd also be leery of 'belt factories,' which tend to make $$$ off testing fees (you can get a sense by watching the skill levels of kids at sessions vs the color belts they're wearing).[/b]

Hope that helps.  I used to box and got up to brown in karate.  My wife is a black belt.  My kids got up to different levels, but moving around interrupted the color belt aspect.  In all cases, the only things that mattered/carried over at the end were the fundamentals learned at each place.  I couldn't even tell you where in our house the old belts and such are.

[/quote]

Honestly most TKD places around here advance people based on social promotion.  You get promoted with your cohort when you take the test.  At least until red belt or so.  
You see wild gaps in ability and skill at the red belt level at some places.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics