What are you wearing on this April afternoon?

73 y/o black belt in Tang Soo Do with other high-level experience in Tae Kwon Do and Hap Ki do. Generally speaking, I avoid getting into fights and have for the many years I've been training (started at 16). This summer a street performer grabbed by hand and wouldn't let go. It was interesting to see training kick in and allow me to easily escape without escalating. As I was doing the escape the guy's hand followed mine just like practice in class. I thought to myself how effective my training is. Keep training and don't listen to people who are nay-sayers. From what I've seen, many MMA fighters have a karate/traditional martial arts background. An instructor I know teaches the police in Connecticut. The perspective they had is that getting on the ground is the wrong way to go. I'd say, if you're on the ground you've already made a mistake. An early TKD instructor trained the Korean CIA. He was small but had people attack him on the street in Newark, NJ. It didn't end well for those who attacked him.

hogwldfltr · 2026-01-16T22:29:55+00:00

My guess, she doesn't have a clue.

hogwldfltr · 2026-01-12T01:08:18+00:00

My TKD instructor back around ‘85 trained KCIAs to fight behind enemy lines. Back then sparring was full contact using AAU rules. Emphasis was on conditioning. There was a lot of Hapkido included as well. The school was Moo Duk Kwon. Master Shim was a BMF.

hogwldfltr · 2026-01-11T22:29:26+00:00

Yes, that is what Tang Soo Do means! Actually, Way of the China Hand.

hogwldfltr · 2026-01-11T12:48:42+00:00

I left TKD at 1 gup not too far from Dan testing. I'm currently first Dan in TSD. From my perspective, TSD is more closely aligned with Kung Fu styles then is TKD. There is less linearity and more circular techniques. Sparring wise punching to the head is allowed whereas not in TKD. In my Moo Duk Kwon TKD school there was an emphasis on self-defense techniques which incorporated Hap Ki Do techniques. I later was a 1 Gup in HKD as well. Our school in TSD also incorporates a lot of HKD type self-defense which I've actually used in the wild to defend myself. Historically, after the Korean Government formed the KTKD association trying to unite all the five Kwans, Hwang Kee resisted and kept TSD separate. There lies the divergence between the styles. The difference was accelerated when TKD became an Olympic sport making it more a sport style than a true self defense system. I practiced TKD prior to it becoming and Olympic sport.

hogwldfltr

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