Apparently the social media became the chosen mode to upload videos with Taekwon-Do’s performances.

Most are associated to the combat practice in a never ending attempt to illustrate, in their working out, something different and exceptional.

It’s evident that such a show is acted by practitioners who want to demonstrate their qualities and how to perform the mentioned item.

Some people show abilities based in their own experiences attained in championships, but generally these are executed by unknown students.

A few techniques or combinations could be added to the student’s actual training system, but always under the Instructor’s approval.  Not all are appropriate to imitate as unquestionable tools. Regrettably many «seminars» or courses also propose such a doubtful procedure.

The Taekwon-Do’s Founder, Gral. Choi Hong Hi, never dictated a seminar or a training course about combat, however, many people who pretend to occupy his place are teaching «how to fight». The question is:  which combat  and under which circumstances we are talking about? It is essential to remember that these masters can only speak from their personal point of view on a particular manner regarding the solution of a sparring challenge.

The Instructor will know if that technique or combination is suitable or not for a particular student.

It is necessary to remember that no combat is equal, even with the same opponent.  Each person is different as diverse will be their reactions, even under similar circumstances.

Muscle tone, body structure, age and reflexes must be taken into consideration to train the more convenient personal answer. Sometimes a small person shows a fancy combination that is not suitable for a taller and bulky practitioner. Some people are more effective using their legs and other with their hands. Only under the expert  guide of an experienced instructor it will be possible to discover the best combination and the personal possibilities for the individual structure and reaction.

Never try to imitate another person’s fighting system, you’re not him/her. The real challenge is to discover which is the best for oneself under the guide of a qualified Instructor.

The other profuse media demonstration is the patterns execution.

In most cases, patterns are performed by a 4th Dan or above, who normally have a notorious absence of groundwork to such a show. Usually the act also lacks the technical information required.

Biomechanical details, time applied, power employed, angle of execution and absence of stiffness, are the parameters that are usually  taken into consideration to judge a performance.

It’s pertinent to establish that in the actual institutional atomization of Gral. Choi’s style, different rules and points of view surely will be used to evaluate the same actions.

This is a serious item to take into consideration because the public have the wrong tendency to utilize this «source of information» to learn… to learn???.

A social media is just that, a tool to keep in touch with other people. Sometimes this tool is commercially used to advertise some product, but not to be utilized as the correct method to teach or learn a precise Art as Taekwon-Do is. It requires the support of a well trained and actualized instructor for such a job. Nobody can learn «fishing» in a social media or from a video without the supervising support of a teacher, who will pick up the personal errors and will advise the student the best way to correct them in order to reach the goal.

To put the things in the right order, the correct way to learn is the training place (Dojang) of course in hands of a competent instructor.

To comply with it, people whose job is to teach Taekwon-Do have to be actualized and trained. Nobody gives what he has not. It is evident that many  doesn’t accept that Taekwon-Do is an Art that demands a permanent training. Past is past and nobody can live with the anecdotes of yesterday as a silly way to convince or defeat by this way the current opponent (unfortunately many competitors, old practitioners and some instructors employ this phony procedure).

Over the years your body will indicate you its new limits and possibilities. Frequently the people stop their regular training due to their age, big mistake.

Working out in Taekwon-Do is an everyday job  and at all stages in life. Many things will change with the time (especially those related with the sport challenges), but it doesn’t mean that you have to stop training and only use your tongue to teach. If you never stop your practice, you’ll be able to continue teaching with the normal psychophysical propriety required in the Art.

Then, to give Taekwon-Do it’s imperative to have Taekwon-Do. To comply with it, you will need to be updated in the already established theory and with your body,  and demonstrate it.

Intrinsically, the permanent training is the way of the art, without it the art doesn’t exist.

The social media are an excellent communication device and occasionally an advertisement tool, but not an instrument to seriously learn. Teach and learn are two faces from the same coin whose composition demands the presence of different elements, whose quantity and quality are not provided by the social media. If you think that this is not true, you’re always in time to change your instructor for a cellular phone.

Senior Grand Master Ricardo Desimone

To be aware and informed read again the preceding notes.