Overview
What is Tae Kwon Do?
Tae Kwon Do is a system
of unarmed combat which originated in Korea nearly two thousand
years ago, and first came to prominence (under other names) in
the Scilla dynasty of southeast Korea more than thirteen hundred
years ago. Tae Kwon Do (which translates as 'way of the hand and
foot') is famous for the depth and diversity of its kicking
techniques, ranging from the highly effective and pragmatic to
the flamboyant and gymnastic.
What is this club
like?
The University of Queensland Tae
Kwon Do Club is one of the most popular martial arts clubs on
campus. We are affiliated with the Sang Dan style of Tae
Kwon Do. You probably have not heard the name before, the
organisation has always maintained a low profile and is designed
that way. In an organisation of this size, our Chief Instructor
(Shihan
Grant Dobinson, 4th Dan) is able to make
personal contact (no pun intended) with all the members of the club and ensure
that the club's high standards stay high.
Our style of Tae Kwon Do has
evolved as an effective martial art. Many styles of Tae Kwon Do
produce 'experts' who make little use of their hands in either
attack or defence, but who are able to jump six burning
motorcycles to break a thin bit of wood. It is the attitude in
the Sang Dan style that there is a place for such training, but
it is more important that students are given a broad range of
techniques that actually work. In this spirit, the club
incorporates many boxing and grappling techniques into its style. Conversely,
we are not aiming to teach 'streetfighting'. The club has a firm
emphasis on technique; on practising until those pragmatic
techniques can be executed gracefully and with fluid speed. It is
for this reason that our style considers the mastery of patterns
(or 'forms') essential if a student is to become accomplished.
The Tae Kwon Do club values the
strong sense of unity in the club, and organises a number of club
activities throughout the year (e.g. restaurant nights, or video
& pizza parties, BBQs). Three very strong UQTKD
institutions are the annual cocktail party, the weekend training
camp and the interclub tournment, which we usually host in
September. We pride ourselves on being a friendly and sociable
group of people. Training sessions are always a challenge, but an
'army camp' approach is never needed.
What can
Tae Kwon Do offer me?
First of all,
we would point out that what you get out depends on what you put
in. No martial art or sport can do wonders for you if you don't
go into it intending to give it your best shot. What Tae Kwon Do
offers you is more than just fitness, flexibility, coordination,
and speed training. Tae Kwon Do is a marvellous exercise system for the
whole body. Every muscle imaginable can become gradually more
supple and strong. With increasing knowledge and abilities, you
will become more confident and self-assured, more able to cope
both inside the training hall and outside.
How much does it cost?
Many styles of martial arts have a deservedly bad
reputation for commercial attitudes, but we aren't one. UQTKD is a non-profit
organisation and our pricing is geared to cover the costs of venue hire and
equipment only. You shouldn't have to
hand over money before you get a chance to see what we are like
to train with, so the first week of training is free, and
obligation-free. The club offers formal classes three times a
week and special training sessions and events occur throughout the year. The
membership fees are: $55 per month and $180 per semester. That can work out at
less than $2/hour! If you shop around and compare, you will see that this is
more than reasonable.
How long does it take
to earn a black-belt?
That depends
largely on the individual. The club offers a lot of classes to
the student, so some people attend over nine hours a week of
formal training, while others may go to three. A natural athlete
who works hard may achieve black-belt in as little as three
years. However, Tae Kwon Do is definitely not just for natural
athletes and fanatics. Most people take between
three and six years to make the challenging and rewarding journey
to black-belt.
If I have studied TKD
elsewhere, do I have to start here on a white-belt?
Not necessarily. We know that
people can learn good technique elsewhere, so it doesn't help you
or us for you to be placed too low in the ranking system. Our
chief instructor will decide to which level you correspond, and
that's where you can start.
Any queries or comments
regarding this page should be EMailed to Daniel Wilson...
daniel_and_kerrie@yahoo.com
