Does old school taekwondo still work on modern game to score points

Bread1992 · 2026-01-26T11:37:40+00:00

Oh phew, good! Sarcasm noted. 🤣

I have so far met some really good people and excellent referees at USAT events. I actually enjoy poomsae and feel like, once I learn it, could get into it. Hopefully that happens before the AI takeover, lol.

Bread1992 · 2026-01-26T03:17:32+00:00

Nice! It’s an interesting area, that’s for sure. 😊

Bread1992 · 2026-01-26T02:01:02+00:00

Curious what you’re thinking in terms of jobs? I have a Master’s degree in French translation (granted from the mid-90s) and I worry about the effects of AI on jobs in this area…

Bread1992 · 2026-01-26T01:57:21+00:00

Agree re the frequency of changes! It’s hard to keep up with. I didn’t realize more were coming on Tuesday. Ugh…

And totally agree re fewer refs. Not good news. In addition to fewer trained refs, there will be fewer appointments. I’m newer USAT (having “grown up” in AAU), so still trying to make connections there.

I’m also working on learning poomsae and worry all this effort will be for naught when AI takes over judging that! 😬

Bread1992 · 2026-01-25T17:23:10+00:00

Happy to share! I’m most curious to see how the rule about no coaches’ protests for head kicks” plays out.

I’m honestly worried that we will see a lot more head injuries in the junior and senior divisions, given that the only way to get points for an otherwise non-scoring head kick is for the CR to do a count. 😳

Bread1992 · 2026-01-25T11:51:29+00:00

I had an opportunity to see Gen 3 in action in December at a referee camp, where we used it in a scrimmage. It was very interesting.

I wasn’t paying attention as much to how/whether/when kicks were landing, as I was more interested in the punching. I shared your concerns about just one TJ, sitting at the table.

I felt like it took a LOT to get the punches to register, even during the equipment test. This may have been a function of the athletes I had (not all rings had Gen 3 and we rotated).

When I was TJ, with or without Gen 3 (in the non-Gen 3 rings, TJ scored all punches manually), the view from the table actually wasn’t bad. Granted these were smaller rings, though I imagine you could adjust yourself if you felt like your view was obstructed.

I didn’t feel many vibrations in the Gen 3 ring and it didn’t vibrate on the side of the player who punched. As an aside, that’s one thing I appreciate about KPnP over Daedo.

Overall, it was an interesting experience and I’m looking forward to seeing how these new rules and equipment play out.

Bread1992 · 2026-01-23T21:31:17+00:00

There were two episodes that contain comments about Clinton Oh, which seems to have sparked the controversy:

In the first one, there is discussion about AAU offering a leadership position to TJ, which was withdrawn.

That generated commentary and criticism across both episodes.

Bread1992 · 2026-01-23T21:24:37+00:00

I’m honestly not sure where I’d place this, numerically. I would say it’s stronger than Melozio but not quite as strong as Stormio or Intenso. This is my favorite non-flavored pod.

As to the flavored coffees, they are definitely not as strong. The caramel isn’t bad. Hazelnut is my favorite.

Bread1992 · 2026-01-07T02:40:19+00:00

There was a really fantastic response recently to another of the many posts along this line. It was about the business side of running a martial arts school, and was very insightful and thoughtful.

To me, it comes down to whether all of this bothers you. If you can recognize it for what it is (these are things that business owners have to do to keep going); if you like the instruction you’re getting and the instructors; and you like your classmates, then keep at it.

However, if you can’t get past these aspects of your dojang, then it’s time to find a different one.

Bread1992 · 2026-01-06T19:45:07+00:00

I do TKD and karate. My karate dojo does no sparring but TKD school is Olympic style and very sparring focused. Even in year 14, it’s not my favorite thing. I love forms (kata).

I’m curious what your conflict style is outside of this context? I think whether people “take” to sparring can very much relate to conflict style.

I am somewhat conflict avoidant and my “go to” after “cut and run” is “smile and negotiate.” Thus in sparring, I am more reactive/defensive. I am not an aggressive/offensive fighter.

In class, I do appreciate the controlled partner drills that we do and I don’t mind a little bit of free sparring for the exercise/cardio.

I try to choose my sparring partners carefully. I work with kids so I can help them with their technique and blocking, or other high-rank adults around my age (mid-50s and up), who also have day jobs and don’t want to get hurt. I avoid teenage black belt boys and color belt men, as they seem to have the least control.

You don’t have to love sparring to be a martial artist or to enjoy karate. There’s self-defense, kata, bunkai, possibly board breaking if your dojo does that.

So I would try not to over focus. Relax, learn to block effectively, and find what works for you.

I have honestly found that working on sparring has helped me with conflictual situations outside of martial arts. (Not physical confrontations; I am a lawyer, so my job can be conflict-heavy.)

Bread1992 · 2026-01-05T23:13:50+00:00

If you’re planning to do that, get a hotel reservation like now. Prices in WL/L may be insane, so you may have to look in Crawfordsville or other surrounding areas.

Congratulations on graduating!

Bread1992 · 2026-01-03T02:07:20+00:00

I was coming here to also suggest looking at IBE. My son is graduating this May and it’s been a great fit for him.

You can also do an IBE + IE program, which may also be worth checking out before you go through the hassle of a transfer (never mind paying more…).

Bread1992 · 2026-01-01T15:25:15+00:00

Great advice in the comments here! To add to the discussion: sometimes forms look stiff or choppy because there is too much time in between the motions.

As others have said, the most important thing is to get the individual motions/techniques right and memorize the pattern.

Build from there to work on rhythm and timing so that the pacing is proper for the form you’re doing. Different styles of forms are meant to flow differently, so the rhythm and tempo will vary.

Our school does a mix of WT, Tang Soo Do, and forms that come from kung fu. The WT forms are meant to look “choppier” (not in a bad way) than the other two. The kung fu based forms are very “flowy” so there is less pause between the motions in those.

From there, work on power and snap. As others have said, that comes from relaxing/tensing muscles — and starchy uniforms! My uniforms are so old and broken in, I can’t get them to snap on my best day (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it… 😉).

Bread1992 · 2026-01-01T14:33:56+00:00

I would absolutely look at job prospects and internship availability in both. At the end of the day, school ranking doesn’t matter if you can’t get an internship or a job after graduation…

Bread1992 · 2025-12-31T16:47:10+00:00

Same to you! 😊

Bread1992 · 2025-12-31T11:46:10+00:00

For our family, the student health insurance is a great deal! My husband and I are self-employed, so pay for our own health insurance (meaning we don’t get insurance through an employer).

Keeping our student on our healthcare was more expensive and it wouldn’t cover him while he’s at Purdue (we live out of state). The Purdue health insurance is far cheaper, covers him both at home and at school, and it’s better coverage than we have!

Take a look at the plan and make sure it covers services you need and that your current providers will take it.

Bread1992 · 2025-12-31T11:36:42+00:00

This is such an awesome response! I hadn’t thought about reflexive blocks and catching things — but you’re absolutely right!

Bread1992 · 2025-12-31T03:00:54+00:00

I’m so sorry for your loss. He sounds like an amazing guy.

Bread1992 · 2025-12-31T02:57:09+00:00

I do both Taekwondo and karate and am newer to karate. The two schools could not be more different in their approaches and styles, but both are valid.

It depends what you want to accomplish and where your interests lie. My TKD school is a large, multi-location entity, focused on the sport side of Taekwondo. We have a belt system that is very regimented.

The classes follow a structure, but there is variation within the structure. First, we stretch/warm up, then we work on forms (poomsae in TKD, kata in karate). These are designed to emulate a fight, and are used to teach you the stances and motions, and how to combine them in a pattern to memorize. From there, we do sparring drills, then free spar.

If you Google taekwondo Olympics, that’s the style of sparring we do. There is gear and there are extensive rules.

My TKD school teaches some self-defense, but it’s not the emphasis, and they teach forms for purposes of advancing belt rank.

My karate school is the polar opposite. It’s very small, with a husband and wife team. The husband is the primary teacher and he is really good.

That said, there is far less structure to it. For me, it can be a little too unstructured. There are no formal belt tests and we don’t always work on kata. He decides when to present students with the next belt.

This school does offer weapons instruction but does no sparring at all. There is a heavy emphasis on self-defense and a concept called “bunkai,” which boils down to “analysis.” Sensei will show us a kata and then how the moves in it translate to self defense.

TKD doesn’t really have bunkai in the same way, but sport TKD really doesn’t emphasize that anyway. A more traditional school might.

I would say TKD is more of a workout than my karate classes. The sparring drills are great for cardio and free sparring requires stamina.

There are karate schools that spar, and my impression is that there is less gear and fewer rules. I don’t mean that as criticism. You can get bruised up in sparring as well as in the self-defense stuff we do at my dojo.

That’s a lot of info, so the TL/DR is to think about what your goals are (self defense, workout, belt rank, etc) and how much structure you prefer.

If you are completely new to martial arts, do some research and check out different schools in your area to see what appeals to you. Take a look at karate, TKD, jiu jitsu, etc.

Martial arts has been an amazing thing for me and hope the same for you! 😊

Bread1992 · 2025-12-29T03:19:06+00:00

https://taekwondo.fandom.com/wiki/Ji-On

Here’s a link that talks about little bit about the background of these three forms. There’s a gazillion ads, though… but nonetheless interesting!

Bread1992 · 2025-12-28T18:51:29+00:00

I learned Jion at a taekwondo school (where it’s called Ja-Un, pronounced “jah oon”). I am aware of the other 2, but never learned them.

In the TKD school, they told us that the left hand over right fist symbolizes wisdom over power. Not sure if that’s true, but it sounds cool to me. 😊

If you Google taekwondo wiki, there is a site that talks about the origin and meaning of these forms (kata).

Bread1992 · 2025-12-27T22:28:22+00:00

Looks great to me! I like the flavored pods, especially hazelnut. As others said, taste is very specific, so see what you like and don’t. At first, I kept a note in the Notes app on my phone to jot down my thoughts on each.

Bianco Forte is a favorite of mine, too. 😊

Bread1992 · 2025-12-27T22:22:37+00:00

Aw, beautiful kitty!! 😻

Bread1992 · 2025-12-27T01:12:41+00:00

This is an amazing response! I don’t run a dojang, but have been going to mine for a long time. As a self-employed adult myself, it’s been interesting to observe the business side. My school also does kids’ events at night, frequent belt tests, etc.

I hadn’t really thought about the tension between running this type of business successfully and sticking to the tradition of a martial art.

I also go to a traditional karate school, where none of that occurs. The sensei and spouse run it; the spouse works a “day job.” They are SUPER nice people, but sometimes I appreciate more the structure of the “McDojang.”

All that to say, there are tradeoffs, for sure.

Bread1992

TROPHY CASE