Tae Kwon Do or Aikido?

[Vausch]

I studied Bujin-Ryu Karate for 8 years but I'm planning a move soon and didn't want to stick with the same art since I'd rather finish under my current sensei if I had to. The place I'm moving to has several dojos I checked out and after searching about them I found most of them were actually accredited and the teachers were very good, so they weren't McDojos.

I'm trying to decide between Tae Kwon Do or Aikido. Tae Kwon Do looks like a great art with some very dynamic movements and kicks but what turns me away is that it's usually used as a sport style rather than the actual martial art style, IE self-defence (That is not to say sports cannot be used in self defence but my Karate teacher always told me not to go to places that refer to the art as a "Sport") while Aikido is also of interest to me for the throws and grapples it practices.

If I had my way I'd be looking for Muay Thai or Pencak Silat but neither of those are available at the college I'm going to.

Anyone studied one or both styles and think they could offer some first-hand insight?

 

[Wyes]

Go with aikido, for basically all the reasons you mentioned. Tae kwon do seems to have become really tournament focused.

 

[Vausch]

Go with aikido, for basically all the reasons you mentioned. Tae kwon do seems to have become really tournament focused.

Really makes you wish more places would pick up Tang Soo Do, doesn't it? It's Tae Kwon Do with a touch of brutality.

 

[Vausch]

So, what is a "McDojo", and how can I avoid them? I'm also considering taking up Aikido...

A McDojo is a place that focuses more on money and the "sport of X" rather than the art itself. If the dojos have more than one location with a mascot, it's safe to assume that's what it is.

Telltale signs include the following:
using the phrase "anti-grappling techniques",

The prhase "ancient techniques from 5000 years ago"

A focus on one specific brand of equipment

aying you'll advance quickly due to their special style of training

basically allowing you to buy belt ranks

the use of point sparring (you win by tapping your opponent basically)

Lack of sparring

them saying "It takes more effort to stop a blow 1" from someone's face than it does to hit them"

They have you practice board breaking

They can't keep the origin of their art right (IE using Karate ranks when you're learning a Chinese art)

If there are Black Belts that are under the age of 20 that can be suspicious (not impossible mind you but if you see more than one where the kids look under 15, bad school).

The instructor is a master but is under 40

They have "testing fees"

Franchises

That's the jist of it, here's a page with warning signs and things to look for in a good school http://mcdojo-faq.tripod.com/ Keep in mind even a good school may have one or two of the warning signs but if there's more than you can count on one hand you should avoid them at all costs.

 

[Basement Cat]

If you want pure self defense then don't bother with Tae Kwon Do, just go with kick boxing or Shootboxing, which is a hybrid style--essentially kick boxing with grappling added to it. Check Shootboxing out on Wikipedia for further info on it.

If you're looking for a style with Art rather than sport then by far Aikido is the way to go.

 

[marurder]

Hap Ki Do ftw

 

[Dimitriov]

Well I took Tae Kwon Do for many years when I was younger. In my case my instructor had more of a self defense bent than the more sports style you see most places.

We did a fair bit of grappling, knife defense, etc. in addition to more standard stuff.

Kicks are fun though!

But I would say it mostly depends on the instructor. You should probably just talk to them personally and maybe see if you can sit in on a class and get a feel for it.

 

[SirNerd]

Try Hap Ki Do, Aikido Evil Korean Cousin, is a load of fun, and you do learn a lot of practical things. Ditto on the Boxing or Kickboxing to help learn how to strike. The main difference I've found between Aikido and Hapkido is that in Aikido, you move around the opponent, whereas in Hapkido, the opponent moves around you. HKD is a lot meaner, and pain focused.

A black belt under 20 isn't necessarily a bad thing though, I was one, and some of the best martial artists I know were as well.

Experience: 14 years of Taekwondo (teacher), Hapkido(teacher), Judo, Boxing, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu grappling. PM if you have a question or two.

 

[Marik2]

Pencak Silat

Ever seen The Raid?


The movie made me look it up

 

[Vausch]

Pencak Silat

Ever seen The Raid?


The movie made me look it up

I have not, it did not play in any theatres near me for more than a day and I had to work. I really wanted to though.

I learned about it from that Human Weapon show on History (one of the only shows there lately that was worth a damn). Seemed like it would be interesting.

 

[aba1]

Aikido would make a nice complement to your striking style. Taekwondo is interesting but I have heard it is really easy to hurt your hips.

Personally I have been doing Judo for about 15 years I think grappling would go nicely for you since it would complement your striking and give you more diversity.

 

[Marik2]

Pencak Silat

Ever seen The Raid?


The movie made me look it up

I have not, it did not play in any theatres near me for more than a day and I had to work. I really wanted to though.

I learned about it from that Human Weapon show on History (one of the only shows there lately that was worth a damn). Seemed like it would be interesting.

Do they still show Human Weapon on the History Channel?

And I think the DVD is out already

 

[SirNerd]

Hap Ki Do also involved Pressure points, join locks, throws, chokes, and controlling your opponent thru use of his limbs and with pain. It WILL give you a strong sense of exactly where to strike someone and how the body reacts to each of these things. A great teacher of Hapkido will also teach ground work and how to implement Hap Ki Do from the ground.

 

[Vausch]

Try Hap Ki Do, Aikido Evil Korean Cousin, is a load of fun, and you do learn a lot of practical things. Ditto on the Boxing or Kickboxing to help learn how to strike. The main difference I've found between Aikido and Hapkido is that in Aikido, you move around the opponent, whereas in Hapkido, the opponent moves around you. HKD is a lot meaner, and pain focused.

A black belt under 20 isn't necessarily a bad thing though, I was one, and some of the best martial artists I know were as well.

Experience: 14 years of Taekwondo (teacher), Hapkido(teacher), Judo, Boxing, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu grappling. PM if you have a question or two.

I've seen that, I was into that show Human Weapon and Fight Quest on History and Discovery (before they went to crap) and it went into detail about Hapkido (the MMA guy they had almost broke his foot during a training session). Unfortunately the only dojos near me are TKD, Aikido, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, Judo and Karate, and of those the Japanese, Korean, and Brazilian ones are offered at the college (I'm taking them there because they're cheaper to get a feel for them).

I know it's not impossible, it's just a warning when there's too many and it's worse when there's more than 5 under the age of 18. I don't doubt they had the discipline to get the black belt early but they probably started younger than most and had more time to devote to it than most.

Oh dang, you're a human weapon! I decided to shuffle my schedule and take both, if I find one is more fun/feels better than the other I'll drop one and switch over. Thanks!

 

[Vausch]

Pencak Silat

Ever seen The Raid?


The movie made me look it up

I have not, it did not play in any theatres near me for more than a day and I had to work. I really wanted to though.

I learned about it from that Human Weapon show on History (one of the only shows there lately that was worth a damn). Seemed like it would be interesting.

Do they still show Human Weapon on the History Channel?

And I think the DVD is out already

They cancelled it after 2 seasons at 16 episodes. Discovery picked up a similar show called Fight Quest that went into different arts but was essentially the same thing (Savate was a favourite episode, I had no idea the French had a martial art!).

 

[Helmholtz Watson]

I studied Bujin-Ryu Karate for 8 years but I'm planning a move soon and didn't want to stick with the same art since I'd rather finish under my current sensei if I had to. The place I'm moving to has several dojos I checked out and after searching about them I found most of them were actually accredited and the teachers were very good, so they weren't McDojos.

I'm trying to decide between Tae Kwon Do or Aikido. Tae Kwon Do looks like a great art with some very dynamic movements and kicks but what turns me away is that it's usually used as a sport style rather than the actual martial art style, IE self-defence (That is not to say sports cannot be used in self defence but my Karate teacher always told me not to go to places that refer to the art as a "Sport") while Aikido is also of interest to me for the throws and grapples it practices.

If I had my way I'd be looking for Muay Thai or Pencak Silat but neither of those are available at the college I'm going to.

Anyone studied one or both styles and think they could offer some first-hand insight?

TKD is a sport, Hakido is what you want if self defense is you want a Korean martial arts. Akido works too. Muay Thai is also great.

 

[SextusMaximus]

Sucks you can't do muay thai, it's well worth it and absolutely brutal.

 

[scorptatious]

I've never really practiced Aikido, so I can't really say anything about it. I have however practiced tae-kwon-do when I was younger.

 

[Vausch]

Sucks you can't do muay thai, it's well worth it and absolutely brutal.

So I've seen. I'm trying to set something up with the college to see if they'll let me study at one of the off-campus places and still get credit for doing so, otherwise I'll have to just put it on the backburner for a while.