How to Teach Taekwondo

How to train people Taekwondo?

As a Dan's holder, and someone who has been trained to coach, I have an obligation to teach when someone came up to me and ask me to train them Taekwondo. I'm not like an old master in the classic martial art movie when anyone who want to train under me need to somehow prove himself worthy or anything. I make it as if it was my social duty to share whatever it is that I know that can benefit the society. Martial arts included

But when someone ask me to teach them Taekwondo, the above question came to my.mind. Yes, how to teach?

Taekwondo is a modern martial art. What that's even mean?

Meaning that, other that it was form pretty new, that is after World War II. While the origin can be track long into ancient Korean's History, the current forms and organization of the art itself was not on the map until after World War II. It was one hell of long story and it wasn't the real purposed I was writing this, so I guess you have to google it yourself.

Also means that, Taekwondo, other than it's obvious striking technique used to hitting somebody or something, is also divided to certain, what we call, branches...

There are Sport's Taekwondo, Artistic/Gymnastic Taekwondo, Self-defense Taekwondo and also the basic/forms of it. All of the above combined will give you the whole Martial Arts Taekwondo.

But when people, ordinary, every day civilian people, ask you to teach them Taekwondo, it did occur to me, what types of Taekwondo did he want to learn?

The thing is, it will be different if the person go to a Taekwondo dojang and registered themselves to learn the arts (which I would always recommended of). Doing it properly means that you're up to train yourself on the whole Martial Arts of Taekwondo, which mean, learn all that I mentioned above.

The problem is when people asking me personally to train them in Taekwondo. Without registration. Without formality, without dobok (the uniform), without grading systems (the belts) and so on...

I mean, I can teach them certain self-defense technique if all that they want is to learn how to defense one-self on the street. But I will be lying to myself if I thought that will be enough for them to be able to used the technique learn in Taekwondo if they didn't train all the aspects of it!

Did they want to learn the striking part? Or the 'ninja move', which is to disable one opposition with less moved possible? Or to be able to kill someone with a single strike? Or flying around like the kungfu master watched in the Hong Kong finest movies? What would be their motivation?

If they are serious, I will suggest them to join the real class/dojang. If they aren't that serious, but only look for some self-defense tips, I would suggest them to just google it or watch it from the you tube or something.

You see, Taekwondo is a martial art as a whole, which mean, you can't call yourself a 'Master' without knowing all of the above (Sports, Artistic and Self-defense) parts of it. It just won't work. Or at least won't work as efficient as it would be. I mean, you probably didn't need to win a competition to proved that you're worthy of it, but at least you know all the principle, the philosophy of every aspect of it, and also to certain extent, can do it decent enough for you to used it in your own life, before even thinking about teaching others.

And when you're teaching others, you have to be absolute sure that they too will reach and understand all of the above, at least to the extent of your own understanding (even better if they understand it more than you do!)

Common people always have a misconception about the whole martial arts thing. Some said it gives you super power, the 'chi', whatever that enable you to defeated your opposition without even moving a single finger. Some said that it's enable you to defeat your enemy with a single moves and so on. The truth is, martial art is about defeating oneself from all the distraction around them and rise to the challenge lay on to them in life. Physical aspect of martial arts is to train the mental aspect of oneself. The best way of martial art usage is to win against the opponent without even laying a single finger on them, by using words (and action) of wisdom.

That is the actual goal!

Enable you to do combat is the bonus.

Anohitowa...

I don't really understand how's the world works...

Not that I really want to know or understand it, by the way.

I mean, I don't understand about half of things happening around me, or even what am I doing, but still...

I mean, like, I'm still living. So, it probably count for something, right?

I think I should go for lunch...