When the only close martial arts schools are ATA, what then?

Actually since you already know you're in a McDojo there are things you can do to get the most out of what they do teach.

1. Break the rules.

Find others who can't afford sparring rights and meet with them outside of class, get yourselves some boxing gloves and mouthguards and practice under both Muay Thai kickboxing rules and Kyokushin bare knuckle rules. Practice the throws they teach on your sparring partners while they try to avoid them and beat you down. Pull your forms and patterns apart to figure out the fighting usefulness behind them - Get some books on Shotokan Karate and proper Taekwando to help with that.

2. Buy a heavy punching bag. A swinging heavy bag actually has a lot in common with a person moving towards you in terms of weight and momentum. When you can stop a swinging heavy bag or strike it backwards you'll know that you're generating some proper power.

3. Use the phone book, google and ask around. Don't give up hope on finding another school to go to.

They are not really good as an introduction because what they introduce is not real martial arts.

I'm not bashing! Just stating fact.

That is a wrong impression in defining martial arts.

All classical martial arts instill the "do your best" attitude.

It is like writing "ohusdfkjnv djbashav ndjuiauui" and saying it is a sentence. Yes, they are letters put together, but the principles of forming words with meaning are not being employed.

So you can do the motion that would outwardly appear to be a "low block"... now what?

How do you use that technique?

To block a kick???

I would like to see you block my kick coming at you full blast with a "low block."

Especially since that technique is not at all, a "low block."

You may be getting a workout out of the ATA training, but I would recommend Taebo before ATA.

And here's why - ATA puts you on contracts and charges WAY more money than they are worth.

How much is Taebo?

ATA has their own schedule, which all schools have, but I don't know how often you go... Taebo is whenever you want.

I am not telling people to go out and train in Taebo! All I am saying is that Taebo is a better alternative to ATA on many levels. And Taebo is pretty pathetic!

But as bad as it is, I would recommend it before ATA.

At least Billy Blanks was a real champion!

Travel further for good martial arts if you really want to train in martial arts.

I would look for more knowledge online and figure out a way to practice things with people, doesn't matter if it is ATA people or not. Training partners are training partners. The only issue is that what they do isn't necessarily what you want to do. But most beginners are at the point where they have to sit and absorb lessons as it comes in, they have yet to be able to stand on their own two feet and formulate their own training regimens.

Several Shotokan karate or just karate forms are similar or the same as the ones in TKD. So I suggest you look up Iain Abernethey's website to see his bunkai analysis and breakdown, as it will help with TKD forms.

You are probably talking about judo, the throwing.

I'm partial to Chinese arts, specifically the internal ones like Taiji Chuan. Although watching videos of Taiji Chuan is probably about the most boring task around. It's a low impact training method that all ages do, but many can find boring because they don't know what they are doing with the movements. But Taiji Chuan is one of those things you can learn on the side, and something you can do at home, alone. Taiji helps with blood flow, muscle control, muscle strength, and the restoration of various other health aspects that degrade with age. This, combined with the fact that most people (young or old) find it boring, has given it the label "for old people". Coming from a hybrid perspective, with some experience in Japanese sword arts and aikido, I would look at it differently. It's something that can benefit all martial artists, especially those who are taking a particular external focused style, such as TKD's flying high kicks.

My specialization is the study of training methods. I do not claim to be a singular student of any one philosophy or style. To me, it matters far less what people do and far more what is going on in their head that makes the full use of whatever activities they are engaging in. Even the movements taught in TKD can be worked on and refined, so long as people have the right idea and guide.

Karate used to, and probably still does, teach things like "low block" which is not a block. They just called it that to mislead people. But it's not the fault of the people that got misled, that they were taught erroneous aspects of martial arts. It's the fault of the people who misled them.

No, they are closed tournaments for ATA members only. Also they are forbidden to participate in any Open tournaments. Their official reason is that "The style of Tae Kwon Do they teach is so deadly that the untrained run to big of a risk of serious injury or death if they try to compete against a trained ATA practitioner" Now the real reason is they do NOT want their students to realize that the art they practice is absolutely worthless for anything but a show. We used to call them Tae Kwon Do killers. My question is why would you want to?

I had a student that traveled 170 miles round trip twice a week to my school. He did this for a couple of years until he got a serious illness and had to quit. I asked him why didn't he study closer to home as there was at least three schools in his home town. His response was, " I want to learn the right way".

Interesting I just got a call from this student last Sunday, he is now cancer free and again plans to come back to his studies.

I guess the point is, you have to put in some effort and maybe put up with some inconviences to reach your goal. So are you willing to suffer a little hardship to learn something the right way?

i use to travel 4 hrs one way yo one of my instructors.

the closest school may not be worth it, go to the next one.

edit

there is an old saying it is better to spend three years search for the right instructor then to spend three days training under the wrong instructor

Hi there

Cost, distance, travel, time and determination.

Welcome to the martial arts. :)

Best wishes

idai