Well it's about that time again, So do you push your students to compete? or are you Totally against Tournaments or just don't care either way?

I myself Like to compete, though I admit I am getting somewhat bored by competition, maybe that means I'm growing? Nah, Anyway, to me All students should compete even if it is once a year, or at only your Organizations event/events, I think it helps with confidence, hey, even if all you do is enter the forms competition, if you can get up there and do your form with everyone watching and get thru it, even if you don't win a trophy, you have done something many don't have the nerve to do. If you like to spar then you get to spar people you haven't sparred before or not often. I also like the comaradery I have with all the different people I only see at some of these events, I have met and made friends with people all over the coast, in Holland, Germany, Scotland, etc, I wouldn't trade my experiences, even the losses are great stories
I know D.Doty is going to be chaffing at the bit to post after reading this so have at it D-Man! I am not talking about, unfair judging and poor sportsmanship and any other horror sstory you can think of, I am thinking of purely competition and if you like it or not and the reasons why.

b

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

I love tournaments also & have had far more posoitive experiences than negative ones. I encourage my students to compete, but don't pressure them. One instructor near me requires it, but I think that just makes anegative experience before you start. Although I usually don't compete anymore, I do miss it. So perhapse I'm just loving vicariously through my students. It's definately not for everyone. Like you said Dave doesn't like them, & that's cool. You love them & that's cool too, but I agree that it can help with confidence in some instances.
Maybe we will meet one of these days. Maybe try to make it to the Boc www.bocworldgames.com
Master P

I'm only a little gup, but I must say, my experiance so far with tournaments has been overall positive. I'm in the senior division and usually we have a good bunch of people and the competition is fun. There is a lot of comraderie with little ego.

I enjoy watching the Dan members compete. The sparring, forms, and weapons forms. Seeing some of the athleticism and grace is great. Or seeing the competive spirit come out, as you showed last year at the Greenwich tournament Mr. Redfield. It's all great.

I still get nervous at tournaments though. I think it is stage fright. I've been too one tournament where there was breaking, I enjoyed that quite a bit. I'm an older, slightly overweight man. I'm not really fast so sparring is sometimes difficult, especially against smaller faster individuals. I'm not graceful so forms are tough. I feel like the Balerina Hippos in Disney's Fantasia But breaking, something where my mass actually helps me. That was fun.

I usually don't care too much if I win or loose, though winning is always better . I just want to be able to walk away from knowing I did the best I could, without making any excuses to myself. Then I can feel good about whatever my placing was.

Martial Art Style Tand Soo Do Mi Guk Kwan, Haedong Gumdo

I think everyone should compete at least once at an open tournament, just like every cyclist should race once... Tournaments aren't for everyone and tournaments are not the soul of any martial art, neither is racing the heart and soul of cycling. I think tournaments are a great opportunity to exposure to other styles or subtle differences within the TSD fold.

I've competed a few time in the Capitol Classic in DC (I even placed sixth in korean traditional kata with sa bang kwon... of course john valera won 1st with some 540 and 720 kicks...still not sure how that was traditional korean) it was an experience!

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

JVoss,

The great thing about message boards is everyone is more or less equal, so if you have anything to say or a question to ask, as long as you "Post Unto Others As You Would Have Others..." So there are no "little gups" just seekers of knowledge, and hopefully we learn something, meet new people,maybe have some fun.

Oh fine bring up Greenwhich I'll try not to fall down and get a boo boo this time

Nervousness before you go on is a given, its good for you , who's going to do better a guy who walks into the ring like he just rolled out of bed? or a guy(or Lady) who has a good jolt of adrenaline running tru them, I still feel it when I get called, but I close my eyes for a second , and bam when I open my eyes, its show time and on a good day, I finish without tripping over myself, my weapon or the judges and land in the right spot

If you want to break stuff go to MA for GM Byrnes Tournie in March, I usually go and the usual DeathSquad from West Haven will be there I'm sure. You will enjoy the Breaking, it's really fun to watch some of the wilder breaks. Last year GM Byrne made a world record elbow break. It's a great event to go to, then go to Greenwhich already with a taste of 06

b

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

I am hoping to be able to go to Master Byrnes tournament. I wish I had been able to go last year. Everyone said they had a great time.

While you may have "fallen down" sir, you gritted it out and finished the match. To me, that was pretty inspiring, as long as you didnt hurt yourself permanently.

Martial Art Style Tand Soo Do Mi Guk Kwan, Haedong Gumdo

Often I compete every two weeks during the year, and compete with a good group of guys. I am nervous everytime. Are there egos, of course...we want to beat each other..but there is also a bond a sort of camraderie that develops. Also, those other competitors help push me personally keeping my game up.

As for 540s and 720s, Raizes, Websters, Ariels...they certainly do not belong in traditional division. It is up to the judges at most events to keep this from happening by disqualifying the competitor (most events have rules against such things and if they don't it is the fault of the event.) I keep my 540s and 720s in Musical or Extreme where they belong (by most rules), nothing is more frustrating than for me to obey the rules do a traditional form in traditional division (means I am not doing Ariels, 540s, 720s, layouts, gyros, butterfly twists, etc) and then to have someone back flip (layout) or do a round off into a flash and win first place. When this happens it is either bause the rules are bad or the judges are misinformed and performing their duties badly, especially when many tournaments have divisions for such things (Extreme, Musical). I think many feel the same way about it, but on the good side this does not seem to happen too often.

Jamie

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Before you make up your mind about lovin' tournaments or not, you guys simply must come check out the Capitol City Championships in Raleigh, NC on April 29th!!
E-mail me your address and I send you flyers for you and your students.

Bernard, I haven't heard from you. When are you coming down to see us?

LADD

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

Ladd.

We will be leaving for Ashville Fri/Sat morning, and will be in WakeForest prob. monday, I'm not in charge of the Itinerary, just the driver LOL ,I will call you when we are on the way to Wake Forest. and give you the Hotel info, We can hook up for dinner or something, I'll bring a dobhak on the chance I can actually get time to get a class in, what schedule is Mon. night /tues. morn, like for a class?

b

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

I love tournaments and i really hope there will be one where there are some other competitors my rank...I dont want to be beaten up by redbelts again

I think students should be encouraged to participate - at tournaments you see that there is so much more to your martia art then just the dojang. i always come back full of energy and with great spirits.

Is that because we drink the great spirits? LOL

b

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

no comments

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

They rule. Everyone should do them with the sole purpose of winning and being like Bernard.

Uhhhhhh, right, strive to be like me. oh joy.

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do

i am gonna get that printed on a t-shirt

"i want to be like bernard"

I like Tournaments - hate amateur judges. Wish we could fix that. I would pay $100 to go to a tournament if they had independent and experienced judges. Most Association tournaments are judged by Black Belts that judge once or maybe twice a year. The majority suck though there are some good ones. I have had my best experience in open tournaments circuits like the PKC - some of those guys judge 2,3 and 4 times a month and they are very good. Not all -but a higher majority. Personally, I think I am adequate in judging Hyung but I stink in judging sparring because if it were up to me, 95% matches I see should end 1-0 or 2-1.

Tang Soo!
Dave

Martial Art Style TSD

Hi Dave,

We have missed you

Tang Soo
b

Martial Art Style Tang Soo Do