Tkd @ Ata

[susie]

There are three certified teachers in NJ to teach Krav Maga, (based on my research on the Krav Maga Worldwide website) Two are pretty local and run by ATA.

My Krav class is very intense and I like it alot. I have been taking for almost 6 months (going twice a week) and will be testing to level two in a few weeks. The instructor pushes us HARD, he doesn’t allow “gimmies” and you have to earn level two and so on.

While at the school I was watching students taking TKD clsses and it looks very focused, I’d like to give it a try. BUT I have heard a lot of bad stuff about ATA in general. I didn’t feel bad about my krav class cause I knew I was working my butt off. I heard that ATAs generally hand out belts for $ and generally are not very strict with actually learning the martial art.

Can anyone give any info or feedback on ATA? I really don’t want to spend the extra $ every month if its for nothing. I really want to learn, but I am not sure this is the right place for me.

– Any info on ATA?
-Any suggestions on how to talk to my instructor about my concerns?

Thanks in advance.

[jamesh-d30]

Re: Tkd @ Ata

Like any MA, there are good and bad programs. If you have a good Krav Maga program, I’m glad to hear it! Work hard and feel confident in the fact that you are learning to defend yourself!
If you want to try out a traditional MA and your school offers it, ask to try it out for a bit since you’re already paying to train there. If you find it’s not for you, no one’s out anything and you don’t have to bring up concerns about an organization that may not apply to your school, thus saving all from a possible uncomfortable situation.

[blindfold]

Re: Tkd @ Ata

My son does TKD @ an ATA school.

If depends on the instructor. If you have the same instructor and he is rough and demanding for KM. He will probably be the same for TKD. You will work just as hard.

If it is a different instructor, watch and see how you like the way they teach. Maybe they have a 90 trial package.

My sons former instrucotr was hard on all of the kids and you earned everything. He was Korean and very TKD. He had been doing it since he was 3years old and it showed. He expected perfection.

The new instructors leave a little to be wanted. The KM is taught by the chief instructor and it’s fun and a workout, but not the same as it used to be.

Just be observant.

[russell]

Re: Tkd @ Ata

my daughter is a 1st degree bb and in the process of testing for 2nd degree (she takes her second mid term nextweek) at a ata school. i’ve herd the “mcdojo” and “black belt factory” comments from a lot of sources but i take it with a a grain of salt yes tkd is a quick black belt but you can learn a lot from a good teacher, ask about the fees (testing, sparring equiptment, leadership club vs blackbelt club) at the school my daughter takes classes at they don’t make money on anything but the classes (i.e. the “testing fees” are at cost, by that i mean that they dont make any money on testing, that fee is set by and paid to the ata in littlerock)

ask about the 30 day’s free that most(but not all) ata schools do as a free trial
ask if they have seperate adult classes
ask about a discount for both tkd and krav if you take both
also ask about family packages(if you have anybody else in the household)

the only thing stoping me from taking tkd is the cost(and my wife) i already pay for my daughter to be in leadership club and my krav (her krav is included in her leadership club fees)

im sure some people have a bad experiance with ata krav schools but i think that the problem is with the instructor NOT the ata! a bad teacher is a bad teacher!

good luck!

[unstpabl1]

Re: Tkd @ Ata

The best way to judge an a system is by checking out other schools of the same type. Also I think the most important thing to do is define why your training in the 1st place and why your want to add on the other system. The question then becomes how do the 2 systems support your personal goals. Like for me I might add eskrima on to krav for the weapons or bjj. Another maybe looking for a more spiritual practice and add aikido. Different goals different actions.

I got to be honest but I could give a crap about the organizations. Thats all about money and power. What a student has to understand is that you train to improve yourself. Its easy to get caught up in the promotion of the system as taught by your instructor, but in the end it doesn’t have much to do with your goals unless your a school owner. And even that can be severed easily enough over petty politics and money.

So again I say define why your adding tKD to your arsenal. How is it going to help you. If you decide tkd is a compliment, before just adding it on seek out other tkd schools in your area. Search the net and get a feel for the art and “how’ Its instructed. Spend time watching the ATA instructors. You may very well decide its the right place, but you’ll feel more commited to the decision in the end

But I can’t stress enough defining your end result in all this, then watching competing classes. And don’t be afraid to piss an instructor off with questions or watching classes. Your auditioning him…They like too forget that those that got the ego. Heck I only went back to kenpo a week ago and I already got one of the grand pooba 9th degrees head of one of the larger organization pissed off at me. Amazing that he thought a lowly yellow belt couldn’t question someone of his and his instructors high stature. Guess it pissed him off cause I was right:dunno:

So train for yourself, define where you want to go, seek out the best instruction for the price, try never to sign a contract and show up and watch a variety of classes at a variety of skill levels. Don’t make the mistake of watching beginners class only. You want to see where the system will take you

Hope that helps

[susie]

Re: Tkd @ Ata

Thanks for the comments. I agree it has more to do with the instructor. My Krav instructor would be the TKD instructor. But I think I may look at other schools as well for comparison. I want to be certain its the right choice.

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