I hate being a American Born Korean-American.

hi all, i'm 21 years old and I just EARNED my orange belt today.

First of all i'm a little disappointed because when I was looking for schools couple months ago, every single school asked me If i were korean... what difference does it make? I was born in Indiana and grew up in Michigan. Then I came into another school in Virginia Beach and some little kid asked me if I am a black belt? No these arent' just caucasians,.. but japanese, Koreans, Philipino and african americans.

I am a little disturbed on the American style of TaeKwonDo. They just give out belts. In my opinion, i think i earn my belt. Thers these students who mess around and still have higher belts than me. Thers this white belt who couldn't do anything...and she still got a yellow.. that dissapointed me. My mom who was trained in korea is a 2nd dan black belt told me that you have to earn your belt, I mean, if you fail.. then you fail.

then my friends told me that TaeKwonDO sucks... but i simply told them..... you watch too much Movies. They expect me to do what the stunt masters do. Oh well. I guess the stereotypes will never stop in the Good ole' US of A.

God bless america!

I can tell that you just started Tae Kwon Do not to long ago, so be warned there will be a lot of people who will tell you that Tae kwon do sucks. But what do you expect it is the most practiced art so of course people will have someting bad to say about it. And you will also see many Black belts who can't even do a proper round kick, but as long as you know you worked hard to get where you are nothing else matters.
Just a warning [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

Yeah, I'm working hard because I failed in Golf middle school team and I failed Soccer in High school team. I'm really working hard in TaeKwonDo and I ain't giving up or failing.

TKD_USA.. where you from and what belt are you?

[This message has been edited by Korean_Redneck (edited 06-19-2004).]

The reason a lot of people will tell you that Tae Kwon Do sucks is because there are so many schools pumping out Tae Kwon Do black belts who get cocky and wind up in trouble. I think you mentioned that you have a fight with a wrestler who thought he was a real bad dude and you kicked his butt. Does that mean that wrestling sucks? It just means that you were the better fighter in that situation. If that wrestler had beaten you he would probably be going around telling people how silly TKD is. It is probably not the best art for fighting an experienced street fighter though, handgun training is best for that. ;-)

BTW: Congratulations on your orange belt!

[This message has been edited by neckbreaker (edited 07-08-2004).]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Korean_Redneck:
hi all, i'm 21 years old and I just EARNED my orange belt today.

First of all i'm a little disappointed because when I was looking for schools couple months ago, every single school asked me If i were korean... what difference does it make? I was born in Indiana and grew up in Michigan. Then I came into another school in Virginia Beach and some little kid asked me if I am a black belt? No these arent' just caucasians,.. but japanese, Koreans, Philipino and african americans.

I am a little disturbed on the American style of TaeKwonDo. They just give out belts. In my opinion, i think i earn my belt. Thers these students who mess around and still have higher belts than me. Thers this white belt who couldn't do anything...and she still got a yellow.. that dissapointed me. My mom who was trained in korea is a 2nd dan black belt told me that you have to earn your belt, I mean, if you fail.. then you fail.

then my friends told me that TaeKwonDO sucks... but i simply told them..... you watch too much Movies. They expect me to do what the stunt masters do. Oh well. I guess the stereotypes will never stop in the Good ole' US of A.

God bless america![/QUOTE]

First let me say cogratulations on you new rank.

With that said, just stay focused on what you need to do to improve. And everything else will take care of itself.

And just a little sidenote: Most instructors let "white"belts get away with sloppy or poor technique, The progression from White to Yellow, especially with children is more of a confidence booster. And as they go thru the ranks more is demanded and expected of them!!

to Mr Neckbreaker.................nice post [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif[/IMG]

Most schools are quite lenient towards white belts. I'm just happy most (I hope) are strict when it comes to giving out black belts.

until last week our taekwondo style did exactly what your saying

they let anyone pass, then polish them up AFTER they get their belt

i recently got my new belt, decided NOT to double grade. like you i want to earn it...and i have all the time in the world

this week one of the seniors (my instructor to be exact!) announced that this will no longer happen as hes fed up with sloppy black belts. from now on a fail is a fail.

how it should be

you want it, earn it...it can only make you stronger

[QUOTE]Originally posted by J1MBO:
until last week our taekwondo style did exactly what your saying

they let anyone pass, then polish them up AFTER they get their belt

i recently got my new belt, decided NOT to double grade. like you i want to earn it...and i have all the time in the world

this week one of the seniors (my instructor to be exact!) announced that this will no longer happen as hes fed up with sloppy black belts. from now on a fail is a fail.

how it should be

you want it, earn it...it can only make you stronger[/QUOTE]
I think that's ok if you are talking about adult students. If you are talking about children then I totally disagree with the fail u fail philosaphy.

Think back when you were 8-13 yrs old, How easy it was to get discouraged about anything, If an Instructor decides to fail because the 10 yr old dos'nt look as good as the other 10 yr old then that is thier choice. But I feel that the Art should conform or adapt to the student not the other way around. If as an instructor you never "give-in" on the way people perform you will end up losing alot of students.

I feel that the lower ranks deserve more leinency than the middle and advanced ranks.
If you have sloppy advanced ranks it usually means a sloppy instructor!!!!!!!


[This message has been edited by goldencrane (edited 07-09-2004).]

It all depends on the school. Tae Kwon Do and Tang Soo Do are turning into the fastfoods of American MA and its sad. I take TKD but I am going to real school where you pay to train not to be handed a belt every few months. I am very happy w/ my school and I don't think it could be better. As for the stereotypes...yeah it's pathetic. There was this new kid in school who was Asian. I say Asian because he never revealed his full ethnicity...Anyway, kids expected this new kid to be some Bruce Lee or something. I was like wtf he never took MA. I don't know the point of telling that story but I'm just agreeing w/ you.

The more bad representations of Tae Kwon Do there are out there, the worse people will perceive it. It's just that simple. And because, sadly, the majority of dojangs are blackbelt factories, a lot of people view Tae Kwon Do as an unreputable, Buy-Not-Earn martial art. The martial art itself is fine, it's some of the people who represent it who are not.

I'm 16, and I got my first dan last year. A few people have told me that I didn't earn it because of my age. They've never seen me train, they don't know how long or hard I've worked, they haven't seen my skill level. They just lump me together with all those other blackbelts who probably didn't earn it, but bought it.

Focus on being the exception.

Also, where in Michigan did you grow up? I'm from Kalamazoo!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hannah:
The more bad representations of Tae Kwon Do there are out there, the worse people will perceive it. It's just that simple. And because, sadly, the majority of dojangs are blackbelt factories, a lot of people view Tae Kwon Do as an unreputable, Buy-Not-Earn martial art. The martial art itself is fine, it's some of the people who represent it who are not.

I'm 16, and I got my first dan last year. A few people have told me that I didn't earn it because of my age. They've never seen me train, they don't know how long or hard I've worked, they haven't seen my skill level. They just lump me together with all those other blackbelts who probably didn't earn it, but bought it.

Focus on being the exception.

Also, where in Michigan did you grow up? I'm from Kalamazoo! [/QUOTE]


I'm from Holland, about 2 hours from you. I go to Kalamazoo sometimes to meet my friends at Kalamzoo college.. but I'm here in Virginia for military.

Michigin - Holland? Isn't that a country?
Sorry, I'm from the UK, so it never ceases to surprise me when just about every name in America is called after a really boring place in England or Europe- take York for example. Most boring place in the world!

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, who cares if many dojangs are belt factories. Ignore that, train to be as good as you can be, don't take grading when you don't feel you're ready. In the end, people who tell you that tkd sucks are being narrowminded. If you train properly, and you know the belt you have has been earned, you'll have no problem defending yourself. Lennox Lewis is a great boxer, Bruce Lee was a great martial artist, whatever people say, if you study them enough you'll see that.

Train for yourself, not other people. If you can beat a red belt when you're a green belt, then it's the red belt that has to feel ashamed, not you.

I personally have postponed my green tag(ITF) training for a month, just because I don't think the first movement of my Dan Gun isn't good enough. Instructors love a student who wants to be as good as he can be, it shows real commitment.

Go out there and train till you think you're ready, and yes steriotypes will always be drawn. Just try being a Jewish Englander with German Jewish and Polish Catholic Grandparents, people can have hours of fun just trying to choose which steriotype to draw!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Supremor:
Michigin - Holland? Isn't that a country?
Sorry, I'm from the UK, so it never ceases to surprise me when just about every name in America is called after a really boring place in England or Europe- take York for example. Most boring place in the world!

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, who cares if many dojangs are belt factories. Ignore that, train to be as good as you can be, don't take grading when you don't feel you're ready. In the end, people who tell you that tkd sucks are being narrowminded. If you train properly, and you know the belt you have has been earned, you'll have no problem defending yourself. Lennox Lewis is a great boxer, Bruce Lee was a great martial artist, whatever people say, if you study them enough you'll see that.

Train for yourself, not other people. If you can beat a red belt when you're a green belt, then it's the red belt that has to feel ashamed, not you.

I personally have postponed my green tag(ITF) training for a month, just because I don't think the first movement of my Dan Gun isn't good enough. Instructors love a student who wants to be as good as he can be, it shows real commitment.

Go out there and train till you think you're ready, and yes steriotypes will always be drawn. Just try being a Jewish Englander with German Jewish and Polish Catholic Grandparents, people can have hours of fun just trying to choose which steriotype to draw![/QUOTE]


Hahah nice post you have there. HOlland, Michigan is a place where Dutch Immigrants used to live a long time ago.. well now things have changed and many mexicans live here now , they have killed the city almost... we still have Windmills that one of them the nazis shot then gave to use here in the US, tulip, Tulip time parades. Dutch chocolate etc..

Sorry to Hi-jack the post here, But I'm from Michigan too. Near Lansing. Have any of you gone to the Great Lakes State Cup and competed?

Hey, I feel that in TKD they do just give u belts, but if you feel you have earned it, then it wasnt just a 'give me' I am currently a white belt, and even though it is white belt, I have been giving it my all, my instructor appreciates that too, because he said he has had some white belts come in there, do the stuff, and go on to Yellow Belt, and not build a good foundation for higher ranks, he told me that u need a good foundation, so u can 'build the rest of the house' b/c if u go to put the roof on, the house will fall..he uses that as an example, and I don't want a storm to come through and blow my house down, in a higher rank, if I don't dedicate myself in white belt! White Belt isn't just a starting position, its what will affect you in higher ranks. Some people stereotype that, they say oh ur a white belt, u don't know nothing..yes i do! Sorry for the ranting!!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by sparc872:
Sorry to Hi-jack the post here, But I'm from Michigan too. Near Lansing. Have any of you gone to the Great Lakes State Cup and competed?[/QUOTE]

I went to last year's Great Lakes State Cup and competed in forms.

I think it was in...oh, geeze. It started with a B and was north of Ann Arbor? I think.

I totally agree, but parents today want everyone to be a winner and if their little baby boy wasnt progresing they would take them out. But the low belt go through pretty fast untill they hit black....so black is all jujded at he same level where the others are judjed how old u are

i FIRMLY AGREE that many dojos are simply handing out belts. i quit my dojo. hell it was an american made MA said to b made of some other ones from asia. w/e at any rate i agree, and if sum1 can explain muay thai to me and wat it is i would b grateful. i dont like not being in a dojo.

the school that I go to basicly hands out belts every few months. there are green belts who can't even do a round kick. My friend had to teach the person how to do one. i am currently studying karate though. my friend is unorthadox but he's taking karate right now. I am an ornage belt and I really love MA so I train and practice my kicks, punches, and katas as much as possible. One of my best friends moved to florida about a month again and is taking tkd. At the school he goes to now, they give u ur belt on ur skill. not just to give out belts. he's gonna be a red belt now. I wish the school i go to was based on skill.

I'm from the Philippines and I'm yellow belt. We lived in Hong Kong when I was a baby because my mom worked there and we came back here when mom's work is over and she has days off. I started taekwondo 5 months ago and I loved it. My dad's another taekwondo practitioner and we love to spar! My mom and dad wants me to become a black belt because all of us are athletic and my younger brother is also taking taekwondo. My dad is trained under the instructors of Ilocos (a province somewhere in the north) and he had been previewing of what will I expect in taekwondo. my mom has american blood but we never mentioned it because my mom is pure Filipino deep inside. I loved being a Filipino, especially of their reputation of being a taekwondo country and also being the home of some greats: Monsour Del Rosario, Stephen Fernandez, and Antoinette Rivero. Be proud of your country and you won't regret it.

Hey i kno how ur feeling. I am also a americam born korean or a korean american. yea the stero types are a bitch but what can u do. People always assume that because you are asian u are very smart,unforuntley i am not. Also they assume that u are some sort a master a karte and stuff. any ways i just felt like giving my views.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dane:
I'm from the Philippines and I'm yellow belt. We lived in Hong Kong when I was a baby because my mom worked there and we came back here when mom's work is over and she has days off. I started taekwondo 5 months ago and I loved it. My dad's another taekwondo practitioner and we love to spar! My mom and dad wants me to become a black belt because all of us are athletic and my younger brother is also taking taekwondo. My dad is trained under the instructors of Ilocos (a province somewhere in the north) and he had been previewing of what will I expect in taekwondo. my mom has american blood but we never mentioned it because my mom is pure Filipino deep inside. I loved being a Filipino, especially of their reputation of being a taekwondo country and also being the home of some greats: Monsour Del Rosario, Stephen Fernandez, and Antoinette Rivero. Be proud of your country and you won't regret it.[/QUOTE]


There this Filipino i work with in the Navy, he trained in the Philipines and he is FFFAAAASSSSTTTT AS HELL. he refused to practice taekwondo in america

[QUOTE]Originally posted by LostInSurbuia:
Hey i kno how ur feeling. I am also a americam born korean or a korean american. yea the stero types are a bitch but what can u do. People always assume that because you are asian u are very smart,unforuntley i am not. Also they assume that u are some sort a master a karte and stuff. any ways i just felt like giving my views. [/QUOTE]

Me too, I'm not smart at all, (thats why i'm in the Navy and not in college [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]) My master expects highly of me, because i'm Korean.. oh well. I'll try my best.

Wow.

How do simple questions always turn into "TKD sucks" or "Tang So Do is the latest McDojo art", etc.?????

Whatever.

Martial arts are like everything else in life. You get out f it what you put into it. PERIOD!!!!!!

Stop beating yourself with negative talk like I hate being Korean American. You can't change that fact and you will never change the mindset of narrow minded ignorant people. But, you can continue to train hard until YOU think you're ready for the next belt and until YOU feel your ready to advance because you know that you have become proficient in the techniques required to pass. If you look at every educational setting that you've been in, i'm sure you'll remember that some people were at the top of the class and some were at the bottom. Does that mean that those at the bottom didn't deserve to pass, even though they met the class requirements? Same thing goes for advancing belts. Not everyone is the A+ student, but those who work hard should AND meet the requirements should still advance.

As far as one style being weaker than another (as posted by whomever - refering to the Tang So DO comment) it's not the Style, it's the stylist. For example , If you drive a vehicle for 8 hours everyday and I drive for 8 minutes every 6 months, who do you think will be more proficient at driving?? The same thing goes for the arts. If I spar, do bag work, lift weights run and everything else needed to excel and someone else just goes through the motions, who do you think the better martial artist will be???!!!!

Think about this and live it. You have to work hard enough for the MA to become part of you. Mushim.

Forget about the losers who bring you down because they have some deep seeded insecurity. Know what you want and do whatever it takes to reach your goal. This is the true benefit of martial arts. The confidence gained by succeeding via hard work.

Good luck and TANG SO!