Tang Soo Do questions..

osuperu · Yellow Belt

Hey all, i've got a post in the general section about deciding what school to choose since there's no shotokan school where i moved...

For those of you that have experience in tang soo do can someone give me some comparisons/contrasts between shotokan and TSD. I of course have gone to a few beginners classes but i would like more indepth knowldge.

Also, anyone know of any TSD kata videos / form sheets to look?

Do they interpret the steps of the kata? Bunkai?

thanks!

Johnlogic121 · Orange Belt

I read an autobiography of Chuck Norris. Tang Soo Do was evidently his style. His teacher emphasized blocking drills to an extent that the classes did them for 80% of the total practice time. Of coarse, when you are doing a blocking drill, your partner is also practicing a good attack, so you get good offensive skills at the same time. Chuck Norris was really popular in the seventies around the time of Bruce Lee and held the World Karate Chamionship title for five consecutive years. He had a hard workout routine that he would practice for three hours every day to stay fit enough to beat his competitiors. I have heard that Tang Soo Do incorporates some "soft blocking" moves from Chinese styles into its syllabus. Tang Soo Do will probably emphasize kicking attacks to the head more than Shotokan. I've been told that Shotokan is about 90% offensive in nature, but you would know more about this than I would, as you have experience with Shotokan whereas I'm going on what I've been told. Tang Soo Do blocking will probably be far different than the Shotokan blocking system. Tang Soo Do will probably offer a wider degree of kicking variations and have a bigger ratio of kicks to punches in its offensive patterns. I don't know much about Shotokan, other than that Shotokan was the style of master Gichin Funakoshi, the "Father of Modern Karate." Since it is a Korean style, I think they use a different word than "kata" to describe their forms, but it means the same thing ('poomse'='kata'='form'). I wish you good luck with Tang Soo Do. If it is the only style offerred in your area, you don't have many choices, but even if you had some alternatives, it will probably be a good place to learn some esteemable fighting skills.
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bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

TSD and Shotokan actually would have quite a bit in common. TSD may kick a bit more, but the moves will be similar in nature. The applications, remain to be seen.
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NewEnglands_KyoSa · Pre-Black Belt

i'd look at some of GM ho sik pak's books and vids. i have heard a rumor that there is some bunkai in there but have never decided to for over the money to purchase them. other than that i'd google 'tang soo do books' and 'tang soo do bunkai'.
if you find any good stuff on bunkai let me know, i've been lookin for that stuff forever.
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Master Steve Colby · White Belt

At the time when Norris was in Korea, TSD was pretty much Shotokan. In the US, you can find TSD schools founded by returning US service men that still teach this style.

However, over time Whang Kee began to change, and eventually renamed his art to Soo Bak Do. This is very different from Shotokan.

My advice is for you to go look at the school. If you feel like you're looking at Shotokan, you're in the right place. Noticeable differences you will find are longer stances, different Bunkai (if they even teach it in that way) more kicks and more spinning techniques.
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Master Colby

Rateh · Green Belt

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