Can you use taekwondo for fighting?

Is taekwondo useless? What do I think of taekwondo?

[Yadid]

I was heartbroken when I learned how little Tkd by itself alone can do. Like the coach, also my first martial art, black belt, and additionally national silver medal (jr). But man, the amount of times my kicks saved me in MMA later on... yeah it was worth it.

[sagecho]

I didn't mean to click so fast ... it was instinct

[justtube]

I did TKD as my first martial art. Years later I did boxing class in college. I remember the skill of switching stance that we learn in TKD gave me a huge advantage over all the guys I got paired with but one guy got the better of me and landed a clean crisp punch on my jaw. He was a wrestler!! I echo and love your assessment of boxing and wrestling being martial art of position 👍

[rayyy]

I cannot agree more. I practice TKD for long time, I can kick but my footwork was horrible. Not to mention my distance is always off. My hands keep dropping and my punches suck. Then 3 years ago, I started boxing. Now I am back to TKD sparring. I think I am much better now because I know how to move my head, my hands. I can block most of the kicks just my keeping my hands up that I learn from boxing. I meant it all sounds basic but we never covered that in TKD.

[perrenchan]

Your comment about the round house kick being from taekwondo reminds me of Mike from Hard2Hurt and when he was told that he encorporates a lot of Kung Fu and Karate Technique thought he never intentionally practice those martial arts. Its like you said in a previous comment, noone reinvents the wheel in martial arts... Unless you're master ken...

[taekwondobro]

It's sad to see taekwondo degenerate into a daycare center, it really is painful. I think that eventually the Taekwondo that remained hard will survive, and the day cares will eventually wither.

[ArifRWinandar]

I once read somewhere that some native American tribes have a fighting style that was all kicks, because it was meant for wars in which the fighters would hold weapons with their hands. When Europeans challenged them to a fist fight, they were confused because they have no experience fighting with fists.

[MetalRobTKD]

Stephan Bonnar earned his black belt in Taekwondo as a teenager and likely didn't progress any further in the style after that. Hence, Jones's kicks were more impressive as he was learning them as an adult and was hungry to learn everything from all styles. He is also a smart fighter and uses his reach to his advantage. Anyone who earns a black belt as a child and no longer trains in that style is going to be a poor representation of it. Everyone has their own genetic strengths and weaknesses and will rely on the martial arts tools that suit them best or that are just instinctual to them after years of engraining them into muscle memory.

[EmanualBAvery]

Apply what's useful.I truly stand by TKD.Those who don't know martial arts will experience what it means to not mess with a TKD practioner.Very well spoken Ramsey.

[VACatholic]

11:30 Your students were so fast I couldn't even see them! Nicely coached!
In all seriousness, thanks for these videos. They're super informative.

[oscarpeer]

2:03 as someone who's taught Taekwondo to kids before, I found your statement very funny and relatable. There is no problem with little kids practicing martial arts. The problem starts, as in illegitimate schools, when the parents of little kids with no extraordinary talent are sold blackbelts.

[MercenaryFox]

i don't get why taekwondo gets so much hate. it's a cool martial art and sport

[amnfox]

Can you kick in a fight? Yes? Ok. Then you can "use" Tae Kwon Do in a fight. I train MMA now and the one thing all my training partners ask me with help on is kicking. Everyone asks for advise on flexibility, dexterity, and application of techniques.

[peterwang]

I find it hilarious that the thumbnail is just Ramsey doing the Yao Ming laugh and it happens to be a random frame from the video.

[theruggedscholar]

Ask the Viet Cong, if Tae Kwon Do can be used for fighting. During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong feared Korean combat troops.
General Jones, who created the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, was inspired by his experience and observance of the Korean troops.
Unfortunately, the Tae Kwon Do taught in a majority of western countries is not the same Tae Kwon Do taught in a military setting.
General Choi Hong Hi, the originator of tae kwon do, created Tae Kwon Do for fighting; not a sport.

[inyalgaico]

Hey ramsey dewey can you look at the fighting styles represented in various fighting games like Tekken and Street fighter and see what you feel about them and their modifications?

[OpnDoarPlcy]

Yes, Taekwondo can be used for fighting. Like boxing, Taekwondo is also an art of positioning because in order to effectively place your kick where you want it to land you must first be in the correct position to do so. Further, Taekwondo is about speed, accuracy and blitzing movements. It’s an excellent martial art that can be modified for either light or full contact depending on the application. Any tool can be useful if you know how to use it.

[jdnhensley]

I'm a new karate practitioner. Plan on soon learning wrestling and eventually jiu-jitsu/kickboxing. This was a really great video and I agree with a lot of what is said. Just after a year of practicing I am already doing quite better than the rest of my class. I suspect this is due to actual effort, hard work, and disciplined training. What karate needs is more individuals putting in the work to learn how to do everything well, train themselves through uncomfort, and learn fighting (and its context) as a whole. Mindset and philosophy are key to mastery. Also, far too many kids being forced to do it and not doing it out of their own will. I once tried learning some muay thai and noticed how it instantly increased my karate by just doing one session.

[mxbblife_mu]

Jon Jones vs Stephan bonnar was actually my favorite Jon Jones fight before he won the Belt ... The huge variety of move Jones was doing on Stephan bonnar was incredible. Not only all the cool TKD Spinning Back Kicks, the Spinning Elbows, and the other Kicks but All the obscure Wrestling moves he was performing on Bonnar. Bonnar had no chance and Jones made him look like an amateur.

[kennedychwalawanambisi]

Yes you can!I have used tkd in two different fights...many years ago. Turning kick worked for me against bigger guys. I love taekwondo...went back to training tkd under itf.