ITF vs WT Taekwondo

[puglet]

I do ITF and love it. It's basically kickboxing with more spinning, chambering, and flashy with primarily kicking (the tkd aspect)

[muhammadhiib]

WTF is more of Olympics while ITF is self defense real life defense

[bryanshaw]

I've done both. I hold a 2nd Dan in ITF and 7th Dan in WTF. The lack of hands makes the difference. Also I prefer the ITF patterns

[rrongh]

It’s a shame that ITF is not recognized by the Olympic

[fiaaafiyahabgfadly]

So basically ITF is a traditional Taekwondo [according to Google ] while WTF is for the Olympics. This two organization have their own goals like if u want to learn actual self defense u can join ITF and if u want to be an athlete u can join WTF. [Please correct me if i'm wrong ]

[jms]

There are some unused moves in itf such as knees and elbow which can be found in taegouk 7 and then there's back fist which is in taegouk 5

[Benzington]

ITF seems more effective, WTF seems like its just a sport

[Top_Hat_Walrus]

I traines ITF for 7 years as a kid. I’m still loyal to my old discipline but haven’t trained in many years

[ranasmartialarts]

I practice WT Taekwondo, but I am also practicing punching technique at home

[PedroNaider]

But WTF have two style: Oldschool and Olimpic

[roymitchell]

I started learning ITF Taekwondo in college, but actually got my black belt in WT (formerly WTF) Taekwondo after I moved to another state. I trained in the style or martial art that was available locally, near where I worked or lived.
When I started training in ITF in the mid 1970s & after I first switched to WT in the early 1980s, we competed in local tournaments that were open to all styles of martial arts. They unsually followed Karate rules. I have trained in, but never competed in closed Taekwondo tournaments. I have attended a closed Tang Soo Do tournament, but did not compete. Later on, I trained with a Korean WT master. He said that my sparring was more like Karate than what Taekwondo looked like then. He allowed me to join his school with my previous rank & gave me his organization's patch. This was about the time of the 1988 Olympics, which were held in Seoul, Korea. TaeKwonDo competition was held as a demo sport. That's where the Olympics focus begain. Taekwondo will be in the Olympics in 2024, but Karate will not be in the Olympics 2024 or 2028. The Koreans wanted to differentiate their martial sport from Karate, so the rules are different.

Taekkyeon is an orginal Korean kicking art. The name Taekwondo was chosen because of the similarity of the names. Taekwondo was the name the five Kwans (fists) organizations merged under. Taekwondo has a 70/30 kicking to hand technique mixture.
Not all Kwans merged, or they left the WTF or Korea Taekwondo Association after the merger. They continued under names like Soo Bahk Do, Tang Soo Do (China Hand), & Moo Duk Kwan. Some people even call Tang Soo Do, Korean Karate, because of the 50/50 balance of kicking and hand techniques. Some of the earlier forms or patterns taught were the same forms taught to students of Japanese Karate, with different names and minor variations. Over the years a new set of forms were developed for both the ITF (Tuls forms) and WT (Palgwe, and later Taegeuk forms).

In ITF, we practiced 3-step, 2-step, and 1-step defense. Street self-defense, sparing in a ring, forms, and hit portable bags or hand held targets. We kicked in lines from one end of the floor to the other end of the floor. We practiced combinations.

In WT, it started out about the same as ITF. We spared back and forth in pairs and rotated several times to change partners. We learned forms and hit shields or heavy bags and practiced speed kicking drills.

The stances in the new WT forms were made higher for speed and mobility. New combination kicking drills were developed. Neither style is better than the other. I learned something new from both. I have tried to learn from both Taekwondo styles and Hapkido (a Korean martial arts system that added holds, throws, sweeps, takedowns, & rollouts to the kicks, punches, and strikes of Taekwondo).

I also have a small amount of training in Aikido, Karate, JuJutsu, & boxing. Learning basic ground defense. Real fights may not always remain upright. High kicks take lots streching, timing, conditioning, and practicing to remain effective as you get older.

[Voxil-ldre]

"Its really not always about that art...more about the artist" - someone, probably

[bunyaminkhaidir]

I am a taekwondo ITF. I’m yellow belt now. I’m so happy I beat the board.

[earth_sounds]

The tech is the most accurate thing.
Highkey when sparring we don't use uniform 😅

[cjo]

WTF is a sport and ITF is a weapon both are fun asf tho- coming from someone who has done both

[mikev]

ITF❤ TRADITIONAL ORIGINAL TAEKWONDO THE FIGHTING SPIRIT OF KOREA ❤

[xxwhatevahxx]

ITF TKD is absolutely amazing and great for IRL self defense. Strikes are super effective, none of that Kung Fu ballerina bs... its like Kickboxing, kicks are fast but pulled with force to damage your opponent and the punches are classic boxing strikes and the sparring/matches are just like in Boxing/Kickboxing, just some gloves and maybe a headgear. WTF TKD is really only for Olympics system, you shouldnt be doing it unless you want to compete in the Olympics as it teaches unecessary selection of striking/movement/philosophy for IRL self defense (strikes with much speed but too little power, too much flash) and lacking, boxing/punches.

[ShaolinTigerDragon]

Didn’t know you had a YouTube channel till now😂

[RealVergilSparda]

Itf isnt THAT similar, i used to say it was until i actually did kickboxing

[matthewkazor]

I just recently started taekwondo. My instructor is from WTF background but the weird thing is the way he teaches it is more lie ITF because he has kickboxing experience too and mixes in some of that into our curriculum. One of the first strikes we learn is front jab. I was really surprised to see boxing punches in taekwondo but love the way he teaches. He sad he teaches that way because he wants his students to be well rounded.